The Mayura Raksha is the peacock demon, and it wears its birds proudly. Three great fans of peacock feathers, painted in blue and green and dotted with red-and-blue eye spots, rise over the top and both sides of a green demon face, with a blue peacock turned in profile on each side panel and another perched at the centre of the brow.
The face. Huge round eyes ringed in white and red, a green brow worked with yellow line detail, and a red mouth with a row of square white teeth, two fangs and a red tongue. Every feather on the fans is drawn individually in fine yellow and dark blue lines.
Construction. The face is carved as a hollow shell with the three feather panels fixed around it. The back is left as bare wood, with a small screw eye for hanging on a wall.
In tradition. In Sri Lankan folk belief the peacock demon is linked with peace, harmony and prosperity. Real peacocks are common across the island's dry zone, and the carving of masks like this one is centred around Ambalangoda on the southern coast; see Raksha masks for the other forms.
Sizes. From 15 cm (6 in) to 38 cm (15 in) tall. Hand carving and painting mean each piece differs a little from the photographs. The Mayura Raksha Mask (Premium) comes in three further colour designs.
