Lilac Yellow Cheriyal Mask – Hand-painted Folk Art

Cheriyal artisans have historically worked within a fairly narrow, earthy colour range, so pairing a cool lilac against a warm yellow is a distinctly contemporary choice from the Nakashi community of Cheriyal village, near Warangal in Telangana — a community that has otherwise kept its mask-making technique essentially unchanged for roughly 400 years, a craft recognised with a Geographical Indication tag in 2010.

Both masks in this pair are built the traditional way: tamarind seed paste and sawdust shaped over a wooden core, dried gradually over several days, coated in white lime, then hand-painted with natural pigments and fine detailing for the eyes, jewellery, and headgear. This is the same process once used to create the masks that travelling storytellers held up during ballad performances, a tradition surviving today through only a small number of practising families — only the colour choice here departs from the historic norm.

The contrast between the two tones makes this a good choice for a gallery wall that already mixes warm and cool accents, or as an unusual, contemporary-leaning gift for someone who wants folk art without a strictly traditional colour story.

Material: Tamarind seed powder, sawdust, cotton cloth, natural colours

Dimensions: 5 inches x 5 inches x 3 inches (pair)