Sri Lanka has no found metal mask but wooden mask are common in the island. That using light weight wood but some mask so larger & heavy that using person with strong enough.This gigantic mask is carved of a Kaduru Wood (nux vomica). Traditional mask making is best known in South Coast “Ambalangoda” but there are skilled traditional craftsmen in other area too. Colors & Dyes generated from natural sources earlier but now commonly using artificial paint .After carved mask use to keep in cool place (prefer @ kitchen) for off the wet before coloring ; which enhancing economical life time& good color effects to the article.
There are many categories of Sri Lankan Mask which depending on the purpose or Purposes that are using for.Sri Lankan Mask Could be divided in to two main categories,
· Kolam Mask
· Thovil (Sanni)Mask
Kolam is rural dance drama , That mask aid in the clever caricature of characters and incident from their own life style.
·Nonchi Akka (Drunk woman)
·Adabera Lokama
·Lenchina
·Jassaya (Lenchina’s husband)
·Police Kolama
·Chettiar
The actors use to share the dialogue with audience during the performing on the stage ; most scripts framework are basically comedy type,
Thovil Mask are using for Demon dance ceremony perform to exorcise disease causing.Katadiya(The Doctor) only wearing mask & related costumes peculiar to each ceremony that masks symbolize Yakka (Demon).The 18 sanni demons ceremony is most popular exorcise ceremony in the island,
·Kalu Yaka
·Mahasona
·Garayaka
·Naga Raksha
Colombo Museum & Ambalangoda Mask Museums are dedicating to exhibition of Sri Lankan traditional Mask
