Mask

This mask was worn by costume-wearing and dancing shamans (Kattadiya) in the Kolam dance drama. They not only represent a supernatural being for the duration of the dance drama but also move it to physical presence through shamanistic techniques. A snake demon appears with this mask, representing the harmful power of the king cobra's venom. With the expressive means of dance, this poison can be expelled from the patient's body and the snake demon appears as both the cause and the healing power of illness by bringing the patient's bodily fluids back into a healthy balance.