The Purulia deer model from West Bengal is an amazing blend of craftsmanship and traditional art. The model represents a mythical deer on a wheeled platform that is deeply embedded in the dramatic tradition of the Chhau (Chou) dance, a tribal martial dance form prevalent mainly in Purulia district. A deer model is used in the performance traditionally to connote "Swarna Mriga", the Golden Deer of the great epic Ramayana: the demon Maricha is supposed to have become a golden deer to lure Sita. This led to Ravana snatching Sita. The deer model is intuitively rolled onto the stage during this scene in the Chhau dance drama to represent Marich's deceptive guise; hence its presence is crucial to generating the competition of tension and drama in the narrative.
The construction materials include a mixture of wood, clay, and paint, with exaggeratedly painted features-graze-like legs, a curved neck, and expressive eyes-in order to give a more mythical effect. The wheels underneath allow easy movement on the vibrant stage based on varied performances. The model is a testimony to the Purulia tribe's deep association with myth, visual storytelling, and ritual performance, establishing that the region has continued fostering the survival of its folk tradition through tangible art forms.