In the Land of Puppets

Recently had gone to Udaipur also referred as “Venice of the East”, “Kashmir of Rajasthan”  Udaipur is known for its Temples, Musuems, Lakes, Havelis. Will write a separate post on the visit to Udaipur.   In this post I will write about Puppets, one of the attractions of Udaipur.

Puppets are artificial figures whose movements are controlled by a person. They are inanimate objects that are manipulated so as to appear to be moving. The person who operates them is called a puppeteer. Puppets are moved by hand or by strings, wires, or rods. Puppets appear as characters in plays called puppet shows.

 

Almost all types of puppets are found in India. Puppetry throughout the ages has held an important place in traditional entertainment. Like traditional theatre, themes for puppet theatre are mostly based on epics and legends. Puppets from different parts of the country have their own identity. Regional styles of painting and sculpture are reflected in them.

The String puppet in Rajasthan are called as Kathputlis. The Typical Rajasthani Katputli has a brightly painted face and a rough torso. Appropriate brightly coloured male and female costumes are fashioned by the puppeteers themselves from patches of old cloth.

The costumes are regional and traditional while the themes that are performed revolve around Rajasthani historical tales or local legends. A few characters and items like the court dancer, stunt horse rider, and snake charmer, are a must.

In Bagore-ki-Haveli, there is a big hall only dedicated for puppets...

 

Images : Personal Album