The Story Of The Mask: How Craftsmen Across India Have Transformed It Into Art!

Radhakrishnan Sundaram Acharya, a goldsmith in Coimbatore, has been making masks with the use of gold and silver thread.

Remember how we all said at the start of the pandemic that "something good will come out of it." Well, we know of at least one good and it is pretty colourful and cheery. The 'mask' has become as routine for us as underpants (sorry for the crude analogy), but let's be honest, we all look for cute and fancy pairs because they somehow add to our personality, even when they're not on display. But the mask, well, it is always on display now, which is why the very talented and skilled craftsmen of our country have taken on the task of creating beautiful printed and embroidered pieces using their tools and knowledge of regional art. 

Pic Credits: Instagram @indianyards.in

From Jaipuri block printing to Madhubani designs, these artists are making eco-friendly cloth masks for the entire nation, which are way more sensible to use than the one-time disposable surgical ones. Even saree weavers have got involved in putting their traditional prints onto these masks, giving them a touch of regional. And trust us, these masks are selling like hot cakes in metropolitan cities.

Pic Credits: Instagram @indianyards.in & @masksofindia

This is the perfect example of making the most of our inherent cultural knowledge and skill and using it to generate income during these difficult times. It's hard to believe but there is somebody in Pune who agreed to pay a staggering Rs 2.9 lakhs for a pure gold mask. Radhakrishnan Sundaram Acharya, a goldsmith in Coimbatore, has been making masks with the use of gold and silver thread and they are priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 2.75 lakhs. However, these masks are not for everyone. the major crowd is getting attracted to the ones with embroidery and traditional embroidery.

This movement among craftsmen of the country started way before the "vocal for local" agenda put forth by our prime minister. Nishi Srivastava, who owns "The Craftsutra," started an initiative called "Masks Of India," sometime back when she started working with various artisans across Indian states , who got together to make hand-crafted masks using their regional art.

This is quite an impressive feat for our country, especially the craftsmen, who have made wearing masks more comfortable and stylish for us!

With inputs from Conde Nast Traveller.