Art & Culture

Indian Puppetry Puppets

Puppetry is a centuries-old form of entertainment.

The suggestive elements of a puppet being controlled by a master make it an enthralling experience, while the inexpensive cost of animation and performance creation makes it popular among freelance artists.

The form allows the artist limitless freedom in form, design, color, and movement, making it one of humanity's most inventive inventions.

Puppetry originated in India.

Puppetry has long been a source of fascination in India, both for educational and amusement purposes. Puppets with sockets attached to them have been discovered at the excavation sites of Harappa and Mohen-jo-daro, indicating the presence of puppetry as an art form.

The earliest recorded reference to puppetry can be found in the Tamil classic Silappadikaaram, which was composed between the first and second centuries BC.

Although puppetry has been mentioned throughout mythology and art, the art form has been steadily declining due to a lack of a dedicated audience and financial insecurity.

Puppetry has been classified as follows:

Kathputli, kundhei, Gombeyatta, and Bommalattam are examples of string puppets.
Tholu bommalatta, Ravanchhaya, and Togalu Gombeyaata are shadow puppets.

Pavakutthu, the glove puppet

Yampuri, Putul Nachh are rod puppets.

Puppets are thought to have existed since the Harappa and Mohenjodaro civilisations approximately 2300 BC. Several dolls with strings have been discovered in different Harappan cities.
The Mahabharata alludes to traditional Indian entertainment such as puppetry and shadow theatre. The three traits found in mankind (Satta, Rajah, and Tamah) are supposed to be the three strings pulled by the Divine to lead man in life, according to the Gita.
Silappadikaaram - the first mention of puppetry is found in Sangam literature.
Throughout history, puppetry has played an important role in traditional entertainment. Puppetry has been used successfully to motivate emotionally and physically challenged students to develop their mental and physical abilities. Conservation of the natural and cultural environment awareness programs have also proven to be beneficial. These programs aim to expose kids to the beauty of language, sound, form, color, and movement. The aesthetic enjoyment gained from producing puppets and conversing with them aids in the overall development of the child's personality.
Stories taken from puranic literature, local myths and legends are commonly used as the content of traditional puppet theatre in India, which incorporates elements of all artistic forms such as painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama, and so on. The presentation of puppet shows necessitates the collaborative creative efforts of many people.

In our rich Indian culture, there are several types of puppet forms available:

• String Puppets No. 1

a) It has a jointed body and limbs that allow it to move. b) Puppets are made of wood, wire, or fabric packed with cotton, rags, or saw dust. T
c) The puppet is suspended by hand-held control cords attached to various areas of the puppet's body.
d) The puppet is controlled by moving the control as well as loosening or drawing the required thread (s).
e) Two rods are affixed to the puppets' hands for ease of manipulation and stability.
Examples include: i. Kathputli (Rajasthan), ii. Kundhei (Orissa), iii. Gombeyatta (Karnataka), and iv. Bommalattam (Karnataka) (TN)

• Shadow Puppets 2

Characteristics
a) Shadow puppets are flat puppets that are moved in front of a tightly stretched white cloth screen.
b) They're made of leather that's been processed to make them translucent.
c) Shadow puppets are forced on the screen with a powerful light source behind them.
d) The interaction of light and screen creates silhouettes or colorful shadows for viewers who sit in front of the screen.
e) For handling and manipulation, the puppet shapes or cutouts are perforated and split bamboo or cane sticks are connected vertically to the puppet.
Togalu Gombeyatta (Karnataka), Tholu Bommalata (AP), Ravanachhaya (Orissa), Tolpavakoothu (Kerala), and Chamadyache Bahulya are other examples (Maharashtra)

• Rod Puppets 3

Characteristics
a) The majority of these puppets have three joints. The heads are united at the neck by the main rod, and both hands attached to rods are joined at the shoulders.
b) The main holding rod that supports the puppet may be disguised by the puppet's robe or clothing.
c) The action rods are normally attached to the puppet's hands and operated by the puppeteer to show movement.
d) A bamboo base is coated and plastered with hay and rice husk combined and shaped into the desired shape for the body and hands.
e) Due to the lack of legs, the puppets are dressed in a sari or dhoti appropriate to the role.
f) The puppet movement is quite dramatic.
Putul Nautch (West Bengal) ii. Yampuri (Bihar) iii. Kathi Kandhe (Orissa)

• Four • Glove Puppets

Characteristics
a) The glove puppets are worn on the hands in the same way that a glove is worn.
b) The middle and index fingers serve as the puppet's hands, while the index finger serves as the puppet's head.
c) The head is composed of papier mache, fabric, or wood, with two hands poking out from just below the neck.
1. Pava-kathakali (Kerala)
2. Kundhei after (Orissa)
Traditional puppet shows were often utilized in villages to deliver religious messages. Today, due to the influence of modern communication technologies, traditional puppetry is at a crossroads in several Indian states, with most puppeteers seeking alternative sources of income. However, modern puppetry has enormous potential in the fields of education, entertainment, and awareness generation.
Pavai (Centre for Puppetry) investigates and employs the art of puppetry for communication at many levels, and aims to promote and preserve it with the assistance of children, youth, and the educational community.

Indian Circus No. 5
In 1880, the first Indian circus was established. Vishnupant Chatre started the Great Indian Circus in 1880 with the support of Rajah of Kurduwadi. He traveled the country as well as foreign shores in Sri Lanka and South East Asian countries, but his tour of North America was a disaster since he couldn't keep up with his competition.

Chatre met Keereli Kunniharan while touring the Malabar coast. Keereli taught martial arts and gymnastics. Keereli, at Chatre's request, established his own gymnast and acrobat training academy, followed by a circus.

Keereli Kunniharan's students started their own circuses. Then, in Kerela, several newer circuses arose, such as the Great Lion Circus and the Great Ramayan Circus, among others.

As a result, Kerela is now recognized as the "Cradle of Indian Circus," and Keereli Kunnihanan as the "Father of Indian Circus."

Damoo Dhotre and Jumbo Circus

The Jumbo Circus is renowned as the "Pride of India" since it is India's largest circus. It is operated by the Shankaran family and features Russian acrobats and entertainers.

Damoo Dhotre was a prominent ringmaster throughout history. He was born in Pune to a destitute family. He later joined a Russian circus before joining the Bertram Mill circus in France. In the United States, he joined the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (aka Greatest Show on Earth). In 1960, he was granted US citizenship. He relocated to Pune after 40 years in the circus industry and died in 1973.