Just the thought of puppets makes one invariably think of childhood, that excitement each one of us felt as a child upon witnessing puppets in a fair or an exhibition remains unparalleled even today.
An ancient art
with many strings attached Puppetry.
Nikita Sharma
Freelance Writer/ Blogger/ Content Strategist
D
uring my last visit to Jaipur, the cultural hub in the Indian state of Rajasthan, I came across a group of musicians and puppet makers and their art was magnificent. I was drawn towards the folk music and the puppet show they were conducting and stayed glued to the entire act for hours. Later, I met the artists and couldn’t stop myself from taking a peep into their world of
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NOVEMBER 2020
Simply put, Puppetry is the art of storytelling with the aid of dolls, often two or three-dimensional - along with music and sound effects. It is however much more than a mode of entertainment for children. Since mythological times puppetry has been a popular medium of communication, education, and entertainment. Over the years an amalgamation of regional styles of paintings and sculptures are reflected in them making it more holistic. With other sources of readily available entertainment growing at a rapid pace, puppetry has become less appreciated and less known about. While in Jaipur, the cultural hub in the heart of Rajasthan, I was intrigued to know more about this dying artform and decided to meet the local craftsmen who have been practicing Puppetry. After a lot of search and quest, I met Raju, a Puppet maker living in the Kathputli Colony area in the city that houses most of such craftsmen
and their families. Raju took me to his humble abode and gave me a glimpse of how the art has evolved over the years. His family has been into the business of Puppetry since the last 2 generations. He believes that it is impossible to date the birth of the art of puppetry, but mythological and historical evidence suggest that puppets have been around in India since ancient times. I was surprised to see that he could speak French, Italian and even Spanish fluently considering that he told me that he had never been to school and had a formal education. “The love for this art of storytelling through the puppets I create made me learn different languages. Since Rajasthan is a great tourist destination in India and we are frequented by many foreigners, I wanted to share my art with them though their own language so that they can connect better, said Raju.� He showed me the string puppets that he
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