Mask is a three dimensional facial portrait used as a covering for the face either as a protective screen or disguise. Use of mask is universal. But its origin is obscure. It is found in both the advanced and the simple societies. Functional role of mask in advanced societies is superficial. Its use is restricted to festive or ceremonial occasions predominated by fun and frolic. It has nothing to do with the events of socio-religious if. Mask has, therefore, failed to make deep penetration in urban culture. But it is widely used among the illiterate mass of simple technology with special reference to the tribal and the rural folk. West Bengal enjoys a unique position in the Indian cultural map in this perspective.

Mask and mask dance
Different forms of traditional mask dance are in existence in many parts of West Bengal. Out of 16 districts of the State, this dance is prevalent in seven districts-Purulia, Bankura, Midnapore, Malda, West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling.it is widely practiced almost all over the districts. Such dance in Midnapore is performed in a few selected places like Jhargram, Chikligarh, Dubra and chandri. The performance of mask dance is very much restricted in Bankura. It is strictly confined in Bishnupur. There it is performed only in one place and that too, once in year Use of mask both in dance and folk drama was very popular in Jalpaiguri District. But these performing arts have now dwindled down to vestigial form. Only the defunct masks may be found in one or two places, if searched thoroughly,’ Kalinach’ is ritual dance of East Bengal (new a sovereign independent country Bangladesh). After the partition of Bengal, the immigrant Hindus are practicing this ritual mask dance in West Bengal, particularly in bordering districts like Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, West Dinajpur, Malda, Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas. Here in these regions the concentration of the immigrant people is more and cultural elements of East Bengal are traced among the local population. Commenting on the predominance of mask dance in West Bengal, the cultural elements of East Bengal are traced among the local population. Commenting on the predominance of mask dance in West Bengal, the culture-historians are of opinion that a distinct mask using zone is found in South and South –East Asia. This zone extends uninterruptedly from Indonesia to Kerala (India) all along the coastal belt. Geographically West Bengal comes well within this mask using culture zone. Mask in West Bengal is mostly used in dance. Rhythmic music and musical instrument of specific types are associated with each category of mask dance. Again each one has its own distinct choreography. It is thus apparent that mask dance of each district has peculiarity of its own. For their individual salient feature in three basic aspects like dance form, accompanying musical instruments and rhythmic music, mask dance of each district has been specified by specific name for their individual identity.The name of some of the specified and well known dances are ‘Chho’ of Purulia, Rabankata of Bankura, Gambhira of Malda, Gamira of West Dinajpur and Devil Dance of Darjeeling. In their existing form they enjoy relative importance in the performing arts of west Bengal. Not to speak of the dance, even the masks prepared in respective structural form. They, therefore, markedly differ from one another. The masks of each district are identified by the name of the dance with which they are associated Distinguishing features are also notably observed among the masks prepared by the tribal and the nontribals.