At the heart of many Nepalese festivals are ritual dances: without the performance of those dances there is no festival. Historically dances in Nepal as well as festivals themselves were patronized by kings. Only the king could decide to introduce a new dance-drama or a new festival. Special masks are worn during such ritual dances. These masks are made of perishable materials such as papier mache, wood plastered with clay and linen, and are painted in lively colours. The masked dances tell...
