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14th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Chhau Mask of Goddess Durga relaxing on a fence

This Chhau mask represents one of the Indian Goddesses, Durga. In India, you can often see people treating these representations as gods themselves, praying to them, showing reverence, and even being in awe in their presence. Therefore, the fact that the head of a goddess is just relaxing on a fence speaks volume of what religion is to the poor dancers who perform folk dances to feed their families. It is nothing but a mask.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 12.2015
Date Uploaded: 11.2016
Photo Location: New Delhi, India
Camera: SM-N920T
Copyright: © Rohit Mehta