Masks cannot be thought of as works of art alone - they serve multiple functions, all of which contribute in expressing a particular message depending on the reason they are worn. One might say they "personify" this message. In India, there is a huge range of decorative, festive and ceremonial masks related to a vast repertoire of myths, legends and folklore revolving around idolized deities, valiant heroes, and fierce demons. One such legend involves Mahishasura, the king of demons. As the story goes, Lord Brahma made Mahishasura invincible to anyone except females. Subsequently, he went about intimidating and defeating numerous gods and in the process embarrassing Brahma. Upset at his behavior, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the three deities in the Hindu triad - created the goddess Durga, the personification of shakti, or power, to destroy the demon. Each of the gods gifted her with their celestial weapons to help in the fight, and in a battle lasting ten days she finally defeated the demon. This victory is celebrated all over India as Navatri, and the tenth day, the day of victory is known as Dussehra. The Dussehra Festival is essentially a celebration of good over evil, which is precisely what this mask depicting Mahishasura represents.