Best Puppetry in India

The art of puppetry finds the earliest reference in the Tamil classic ‘Silappadikaaram’ written around the 1st or 2nd century B.C.
There are four types of Puppetry

Jointed body and limbs that allow movement.
They are also known as marionettes.
These are controlled by loosening and pulling the strings attached to the Puppetry .
They are made of wood, or wire, or cloth stuffed with cotton,rags or sawdust and are usually small.
Rajasthan, Karnataka, Odisha and Tamil Nadu are some of the regions where this type of puppetry has flourished.
Example
Kathputli, Rajasthan- ( Puppetry)
They are carved from a single piece of wood.
Oval faces, large eyes, arched eyebrows and large lips are the distinct features.
They wear long trailing skirts and do not have legs.
The strings are attached to the fingers of puppeteers and not to any other prop or support.
Accompanied by a highly dramatized regional music.
Gopalila Kundhei, Odisha ( Puppetry )

They are made of light Puppetry wood.
They have no legs but wear long flowing skirts.
They have more joints and are easier to manipulate.
The puppeteers hold a wooden prop, triangular in shape, to which strings are attached for manipulation.
Their costumes are similar to those worn by actors of the Jatra traditional theatre.
The music is drawn from the popular tunes of the region and is sometimes influenced by the music of Odissi dance.
Gombeyatta, Karnataka ( Puppetry)

They have joints at the legs, shoulders, elbows, hips Puppetry and knees.
They are manipulated by 5-7 strings which are tied to a prop.
They are styled like the characters of Yakshagana, the traditional theatre of Karnataka.
The stories are based on Prasangas of the Yakshagana plays.
The music that accompanies is dramatic and beautifully blends folk and classical elements.
Bommalattam, Tamli Nadu ( Puppetry )

They are made of wood.
They combine the techniques of both rod and string puppets.
The puppeteer wears an iron ring on his head to which the string are tied.
A few puppets have jointed arms and hands, which are manipulated by rods.
These are the largest, heaviest and the most articulate of all traditional Indian marionettes.
Other examples- Tarer or Sutol Putul (WB), Kalasutri Bahulya (Maharashtra),

2. Shadow Puppets ( Puppetry)

These are flat figures cut out from leather, which has been Puppetry treated to make them translucent.
They are pressed against a screen with a strong source of light behind it.
The manipulation between the light and the screen make silhouettes or colorful shadows, as the case may be, for the viewers who sit in front of the screen.
Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu.
Examples:
Togalu Gombeyatta, Karnataka ( Puppetry)

They are small in size but generally differ in size according to their social status.
Larger ones for kings or religious characters and smaller ones for common people or servants.
Tholu Bommalata, Andhra Pradesh ( Puppetry )

The puppets are large in size.
They have jointed waist, shoulders, elbows and knees.
They are colored on both sides and hence throw colorful Puppetry shadows on the screen.
The themes of the puppet plays are derived from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas.
Music is dominantly classical music of the region
Ravanachhaya, Odisha ( Puppetry )

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The Puppetry have no joints and are small in size.
They are not colored and hence throw opaque shadows on the screen.
They are made of deer skin and are conceived in bold dramatic poses.
Apart from human and animal characters, many props such as trees, mountains, chariots, etc. are also used.
Other examples: Chamadyache Bahulya (Maharashtra), Tol Pavakoothu (Kerala)

3. Glove Puppets ( Puppetry)

They are also known as sleeve, hand or palm Puppetry .
The head is made of either paper mache, cloth or wood, with two hands emerging from just below the neck.
The rest of the figure consists of a long flowing skirt.
Its movement is controlled by the human hand. The first finger is inserted in the head and the middle finger & the thumb become the two arms of the puppet.
It is popular in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Kerala.
In UP, the themes are usually based on social subjects.
In Odisha, themes are based on stories of Radha and Krishna. Dholak is also used in Odisha.
Dialogues play an important role.
Example:
Pavakoothu (Pavakathakali), Kerala ( Puppetry)

It is influenced by Kathakali.
Height of a Puppetry varies from 1-2 feet.
The head and the arms are carved out of wood and joined together with thick cloth, cut and stitched into a small bag.
The face of the puppets are decorated with paints, small and thin pieces of gilded tin, feathers of peacock etc.
The musical instruments used during the performance are Chenda, Chengila, Ilathalam and Shankha-the conch.
Themes are based on episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Other examples- Sakhi Naach (Odisha), Beni Putul or Bener Putul (West Bengal).

4. Rod Puppetry

These are extension of glove puppets, but often much larger and supported & manipulated by rods from below.
Found mostly in West Bengal and Odisha.
Examples
Putul Nach, West Bengal

The puppets are carved from wood.
They are about 3-4 feet in height and are costumed like the actors of Jatra theatre.
They mostly have three joints.
The puppeteers themselves sing and deliver the stylized prose dialogues along with a group of musicians.
The puppets are manipulated by a bamboo-made hub tied firmly to the waist of the puppeteer on which the rod holding the puppet is placed.
The puppeteers themselves move and dance imparting corresponding movements to the puppets.
Themes are social issues.
Yampuri, Bihar

The puppets are made of wood.
Unlike those of west Bengal and Odisha, the puppets of Bihar are in one piece and have no joints.
As a result, their manipulation is difficult.
Other Examples- Kathi Kundei (odisha)