Purulia Chhau masks are categorised broadly by the characters they portray:
- Babu Masks: divine figures: Shiva, Vishnu, Kartik, Krishna, Ganesha
- Bir Masks: demon characters: Ravana, Mahishasura, Tarakasura, Sumbha, Nisumbha
- Nari Masks: female characters, primarily goddesses like Durga, Kali, Parvati
- Animal Masks: deer, lions, tigers, birds, often used in narrative dance episodes
The Purulia Chhau mask is distinctive within the broader Chhau tradition precisely because of its scale and ornamentation. Where the Seraikella Chhau (from Jharkhand) uses smaller, more restrained masks and the Mayurbhanj Chhau (from Odisha) uses no masks at all, the Purulia form employs large, heavy, spectacularly decorated full-face masks that transform the wearer into mythological beings of unmistakable visual power. Dancers describe the masks as transformative: the moment the mask goes on, the character possesses them.
For collectors and curious travellers alike, masks are for sale throughout the village in a range of sizes, from palm-sized decorative pieces to full performance-scale works. Prices range from around Rs 100 to 5,000 depending on size, complexity and the intricacy of the decoration. The most iconic pieces tend to be the paired Kirat-Kirateeni (the tribal forms of Shiva and Parvati) and the magnificent Durga masks from the Mahishasuramardini narrative.
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