Puppetry: A popular Art Form of Rajasthan Puppetry is an old and ancient art form in Rajasthan. The Puppet Shows also known as Kathputli Dance is very popular in Rajasthan. Generally, Baths, a community of agricultural laborers practice puppetry as their traditional occupation passing from one generation to another. This community belongs to Nagaur situated in Marwar Region but they travel to different areas of Rajasthan to showcase their art and skills. People performing puppet shows are also known as Kathputliwalas. History of Puppetry Puppet shows are not new to us. This art is had been passing on from Rajasthani ancestors to the coming generations. ‘Kathputli’ word is made by joining two words- Kath means wood and pulti means dummy. So I literally mean wooden dummies or dolls. In the bygone era, there was a king in Ujjain, Raja Vikramaditya who was fond of these wooden dolls. The first show was dedicated to the king where thirty-two dolls performed, narrated the life and achievements of Vikramaditya. Later several shows were organized for royal families and then it had become popular. After a long time, Prithviraj Chauhan was attracted towards this art and he asked that to perform a show based on his deeds. A play was organized on the Amar Singh Rathod, ruler in Nagaur. Even today, his dialogues are used to entertain people. During the Mughal Rule, this art was discouraged as it was against their beliefs. During that time, puppeteers lost their values and recognition. How Puppetry Show is performed? There are wooden dummy figures wearing colorful and Rajasthani traditional attire in the puppet show. Puppeteer attaches these dummies with a string to move them according to their story characters. All these figures are placed on a stage with the cot. A rope is joined to the upper legs of cot which is hidden from the audience and managed by puppeteer. A puppeteer moves the strings which give movements to the puppets. The process is carried out so gracefully that managing strings and cot is unseen to the audience. They can also see the puppets dancing as per the puppeteer. A puppeteer is not only a person who manages puppet show, along with dancing, a music is also played in the background to make the show more interesting. Loud beats of Dholak, folk music of Rajasthan, hooting, and whistling by the puppeteers make a perfect saga for show lovers. There are different themes and stories of the puppet shows. Story is narrated along with Rajasthani songs, beats of dholak, in harmony with the movement
of puppets. The show duration is 1 hour and can be enjoyed from children to adults and to the old people. Puppetry in other parts of India Along with Rajasthan, puppetry is also a popular in other parts of country such as, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. With the diversity in culture, there is diversity in this art in every state. Rajasthan is known for string and paper puppets. In Andhra Pradesh, shadow puppets are used for dramatic performances. At some places rod puppets and glove puppets are used. Puppetry is more popular in rural areas than urban areas. But with the passage of time, this art is appreciated in the cities as well. In some areas, stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata is narrated and depicted beautifully with puppetry. Puppetry: A medium of Communication Apart from entertainment, Puppetry can be used for education as well. It is one of the best ways to teach someone with fun. Puppetry is also a medium of communication with villagers and illiterates. Not only these, puppetry can be used to bring changes in the country exchange social issues like literacy and family planning. With the Best Rajasthan Tour Packages, enjoy the Puppet Shows in Rajasthan. You will be mesmerized to see how beautifully and gracefully, these shows are performed for entertaining audience.
Source - Royal Rajasthan Travels