The Puppetries of India

 

India is a nation of different rituals, religions, languages, art, and cultures. In India, there are many art forms like Dance, Theater, Music, etc and Puppetry is one of the oldest performing art forms. Puppetry includes both the dance and theater categories. Puppetry is considered the oldest mass media communication method, through which awareness programs and mythological stories are been told. It is a low-cost animation art form that is been controlled by a master and its performance makes it popular among the artist and people. This art form is free from art rules and regulations which allow an artist to design, conceptualize, color, and perform according to their own interests. "The individual who controls the Puppets(Animal, Dolls, and diverse person) is known as Puppeteer."

Origin of Indian Puppetry
In India, Puppetry has been of interest both in education and entertainment. many archeologists have found evidence of Puppetry art in the excavation sites of Mohenjodao and Harappan. In the writing of Ilango Adigal's book, Silappadikarm and Vyasa's book, Mahabharat Puppetry Art Form has been found which proves that this art form has been around 500Bc. In India large variety of puppetry has been developed in different states. Stories from mythology, folklore, and local legends were adopted. However, the lack of devoted audiences and financial insecurity have led to a steady decline of this art form in modern times. In India there are four types of Puppetry Art forms are there.

1. String Puppetry
2. Shadow Puppetry
3. Glove Puppetry
4. Rod Puppetry

String Puppets 

String puppets or dolls have a noticeable presence in Indian social customs. The elements of string puppets are: The puppets are for the most part 8-9 inch little figures etched out of wood. Oil tone is utilized to paint the wood with skin tone and add other facial provisions like eyes, lips, nose, and so on Little wooden lines are made with the body to frame the appendages. The body is then covered with a vivid small-scale dress and sewed. Little gems and different adornments are appended to give a practical vibe. Strings are appended to little openings in the hands, head, and back of the body which are then constrained by the puppeteer.

A portion of the famous instances of string puppetry in India are:

Kathputli

The traditional string puppets of the Rajasthan area are known as Kathputli, which derives its name from ‘Kath' meaning wood, and ‘Putli’ meaning doll. The puppet is shrouded with customarily brilliant Rajasthani dresses. The show is joined by folk music. An exceptional element of the puppet is the shortfall of legs. The strings are appended to the finger of the puppeteer.
Kundhei
The string puppets of Odisha are called Kundhei. {they are|they're} made from lightweight wood and are wearing long skirts. The puppets have a lot of joints, so giving the performer a lot of flexibility. The strings are connected to a triangular prop. there's a marked influence of Odissi dance on Kundhei puppet shows.

Gombeyatta

The string puppets of Odisha are called Kundhei. They're made from lightweight wood and are wearing long skirts. The puppets have a lot of joints, so giving the performer a lot of flexibility. The strings are connected to a triangular prop. there's a marked influence of Odissi dance on Kundhei puppet shows.

Bommalattam

Bommalattam is puppetry native to the region of Tamil Nadu. It combines options of rod and string puppetry. The strings area unit is hooked up to the Associate in Nursing iron ring that is worn by the performer on his head. The Bommalattam puppets area unit is the most important and heaviest marionette found in an Asian country, with a number of them as massive as four.5 linear units tall and ten kilograms in weight. The Bommalattam theatre has four distinct stages – Vinayak Puja, Komali, Amanattam, and Pusenkanattam.

Shadow Puppets

India contains a made tradition of shadow puppetry, that has survived until currently. a number of the options of shadow puppetry area unit: Shadow puppets are flat figures cut out of animal skin. The figures area unit is painted identically on either side of the animal skin. The puppets area unit was placed on a white screen with light-weight falling from behind, making a shadow on the screen. The figure's area unit is manipulated so the silhouettes produced on the blank screen create telling mental imagery. Some of the popular samples of shadow puppetry are:

Togalu Gombeyatta

It is the favored shadow theatre of Mysore. a novel feature of the Togalu Gombayetta puppets is that the variation of puppet size supported social station, i.e. kings and spiritual figures area unit characterized by massive puppets whereas people and servants area unit shown by smaller puppets.

Ravanchhaya

It is the foremost theatrical of shadow puppetry and maybe a fashionable variety of amusement within the Odisha region. The puppets are a unit product of leather and depict daring dramatic postures. They do not have any joints hooked up to them, creating it an additional complicated art. there's the employment of non-human puppets, like trees and animals likewise. The Ravanchhaya artists area unit is so very trained in their art-making a lyrical and sensitive theatrical narration.

Tholu Bommalata

It is the foremost theatrical of shadow puppetry and could be a standard kind of amusement within the Odisha region. The puppets area unit is manufactured from leather and depicts daring dramatic postures. they are doing not have any joints hooked up to them, creating it a lot of advanced art. there's the utilization of non-human puppets, like trees and animals also. The Ravanchhaya artists area unit therefore very trained in their art-making a lyrical and sensitive theatrical narration.

Tolpava KuthuIn Kerala

It's performed by the Nair community. although these corporations have distinct regional identities, languages, and dialects within which they're performed, they share common themes and aesthetics. The narratives area unit in the main supported the epics of the Sanskrit literature and also the Mahabharatum, the Puranas, native myths, and tales. Besides providing diversion they additionally communicate the norms and ideals of society. The performance begins with an associate invocation on a ritual stage in an exceeding village sq. or a temple court. Stock characters give comic relief. a way of rhythm and dance is inherent altogether in the traditions, across regions. The puppets area unit is crafted from either goat or leather. they're manipulated from behind the screen, wherever lighting is provided to forged shadows. Puppet performances area unit an area of festivals, celebrations of special occasions, and rituals, and are generally staged to keep off evil spirits and to invoke the rain gods in times of drought in rural areas.

Chamadyacha BhulyaIn Maharashtra

It's practiced by the Thakar community tho' these forms have distinct regional identities, languages, and dialects within which they're performed, they share a standard worldview, aesthetics, and themes. The narratives area unit principally supported the epics of Sanskrit literature and Mahabharatum, Puranas, native myths, and tales. Besides being a type of diversion, they conjointly communicate vital messages to the agricultural community. The performance begins with an associate invocation on a ceremonially created stage during a village sq. or a temple grounds. Stock characters give comic relief. a way of rhythm and dance is inherent altogether in the traditions, across regions. The puppets area unit is crafted from either goat or cervid skin. they're manipulated from behind the screen, wherever lighting is provided to forged shadows. Puppet performances area unit a locality of festivals, celebrations of special occasions and rituals, and generally staged to bar evil spirits and to invoke the rain gods in times of drought in rural areas.

Glove Puppets

Glove puppets also are referred to as sleeve, hand, or palm puppets. they're tiny figures with heads and arms carrying long, flowing skirts as costumes. The puppets square measure typically product of artifact or wood, however some variations of paper puppets have additionally been seen. The performing artist wears the puppet as a glove, manipulating the top together with his finger. the 2 hands square measure manipulated mistreatment of the thumb and therefore the finger – giving life and expression to the originally limp puppet. Glove puppets square measure standard all across the Asian country, with the performance typically amid periodic beats of drum or dholak. A popular example of glove puppetry in Asian countries is:

Pavakoothu

It is the standard hand puppet show of Kerala. It originated within the amount around the eighteenth century A.D. The puppet's square measure is embellished with colorful headgears, feathers, and face paints, which is proof of the significant influence of the Kathakali dance kind. The plays square measure themed around narrations of Ramayana and sacred writing.

Sakhi Kandhei Nata

Sakhi Nata which is a popular Puppet dance is also known as Kandhei Nata. This beautiful dance is a true mixture of drama, songs, and dance by artisans. The stories enacted are usually from Hindu mythology and they are selected as per the significance of the occasion when the performance is held. Both these forms of dance called Sakhi Nata are ancient forms of performing art in Orissa yet not much is known about their origin. Some historians claim that Sakhi Nata is much older than the classical Odissi dance and the similarity in basic movements with the classical dance form makes one believe that Odissi dance has its origin in Sakhi Nata.

Rod Puppets

Rod puppets are larger variations of glove puppets and are controlled by rods by the puppeteer from behind a screen. It is mainly popular in the region of Eastern India.
Some of the popular examples are:

Yampuri

It is the normal rod puppet of the province. The puppets are typically manufactured from wood and with no joints. They're sculptured out of one piece of wood and so painted and wearing bright colors.

Putul Nacho

It is the normal rod puppet dance of the Bengal-Odisha-Assam region. The figures area unit is usually 3-4 feet. high and dressed as characters of Jatra. they typically have 3 joints – at the neck and at the shoulders. The puppeteers, every of whom controls one puppet by suggests that of a rod hooked up to his waist, area unit placed behind a high curtain. The puppeteers move around behind the curtain, imparting similar movements to the puppets. The performance is in the midst of a musical troop of 3-4 musicians enjoying organ, cymbals, and tabla.

Kathi Kandhe

Traditional rod puppet theatre from the state of state (today, Odisha) is found in the east of Bharat. The puppets of Kathi kundhei nacha (“wooden-rod puppet dance”, conjointly referred to as kandhei Nach or kandhei nata) area unit manipulated by a Kathi, or wood rod. the normal performance, an amalgam of dance, drama, ANd songs begins with an invocation (stuti), followed by the sutradhara (stage director/narrator) introducing the episode to be enacted from the epics, Sanskrit literature, and sacred writing, or from the Puranas.

Puppets area unit up to sixty centimeters tall, carved, painted, and clothed within the state sort of Jatra (operatic theatre), with full skirts and shirts. The puppets area unit is joined at the shoulders, and also the shoulder joints area unit is connected with strings within the trunk of the puppet to 2 rings, that area unit is forced to maneuver the characters’ arms. The rod holds up the top, which is graven in wood and painted. 

Puppeteers sit on the bottom behind a screen. Musicians play drums, cymbals, and reed instruments, together with the Indian single-reed instrument and flute, and a lot of recently a free-reed instrument, whereas a multi-person cluster manipulates. Today, the staging will be a lot elaborate, performed in an exceedingly booth stage with a curtain and painted backdrops, like the province danger putul nach stage.

Written by 

akashkumarmuni.21@gmail.com

Akash Kumar Muni,

Koelnagar, Odisha

Masters in Performing Arts

NET/Jrf qualified

Cell # 8637269356