The Royal Elder

Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya and father of Rama, is one of the most tragic figures of the Ramayana. Bound by a promise to his queen Kaikeyi, he is forced to send his beloved son into fourteen years of exile and dies of grief soon after.

In Bhaona, elder royal masks like this carry the dignity and sorrow of kingship. The grey beard marks age and wisdom, while the ornate crown signals the burden of rule.

The beard is often made from jute or fibre, combed and dyed to catch the light as the performer moves.