Mask of Vaikuntha Vishnu, late 5th century. Learn more about 5th century masks
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Woven in cotton or tussar silk, it is a sari with a broad red border and a white or cream ground. It is a part of festive attire in Bengal, worn on occasions such as Durga Puja. The red border symbolises the vermilion on the forehead of a young bride and the alta (red dye) that Bengali women apply to their hands and feet on auspicious occasions.