290 



THE TEMPLE. 



The masks. 



List op the Masks. 



In the vernacular a mask is called bak} The masks for the 

 religious dances in Sikhim are carved out of the 

 tough light wood of the giant climber called sar ; 

 while in Tibet, where wood is scarce, they are composed of mashed 

 paper and cloth. In all cases they are fantastically painted and 

 varnished, and usually provided with a yak-tail wig. 



The masks found in Sikhim temples are the following : — 



1. Yeslie gon-po^ or Mahakala. Colour red. 



2. Guru dak-mar, a fierce form of Guru Rim- 

 bochhe. Colour red. 



3. LMino Mak-zor ma, or Maharani, the Kali 

 form of Devi. Colour blue. 



4. Lang," the Bull. Colour black. 



5. Tag,^ the Tiger. Colour brown. 



6. Sengge, the Lion. Colour white. 



7. Klvjxmg, the Garuda-bird. Colour green. 



8. Teu!^' the Monkey. Colour ruddy brown. 



9. SJia-iva, the Stag. Colour fawn. 

 10. Yak, the Yak. Colour black. 



I. — King of the Ogre 



deities Eu.^ 



II. — The angry Ogre 

 deities To-ivo.* 



The above are all of hideous appearance and huge size, having 

 a vertical diameter of at least twice the length of an ordinary human 

 face, and a breadth in proportion. Each has projecting tusks and 

 three eyes, the central eye being the eye of fore-knowledge. Those 

 of an anthropoid form have a chaplet of five skulls, with pendant bead 

 ornaments of human bones. 



' IL Tur or Grave-yard ghosts. A monster 

 human skull of yellowish colour. A 

 ^ pair of these are needed. 



III.— The Ghouls ... 



IV.— The Earth 

 demons — ser- 

 vants of above. 



v.— The Indian 

 Teacher — buf- 

 foons. 



12. 



13. 



Sa-chak pa. Large hideous masks with 

 only two eyes. 



A-tsa-ra (Skt. acharga = teacher). These 

 are of ordinary human size, white in 

 colour, with moustaches and hair done 

 up into a coil. Their wives are red or 

 yellow complexioned. 



' Abag. 



- iKU. 



' Ye-slie wgon-po. 

 •* irlang. 



1 khro-bo, from Skt. khroda. 



.stag. 

 *pre-u. 



