.S.P.I.C.E.

Last week, the ever versatile Mumbai-city hosted an exhibition called Putul Yatra 2005, having over 300 Puppets from all over India on Display. It was a rich assortment of different styles and techniques.

This event, like many others, was less publicized and yet was crowded enough with kids and elders alike. Long long ago, when I was in Middle School, and there was no Cable TV, on national channel, they used to air a show called “Potli Baba Ki”. It was a magical disply of never seen before puppetery on TV screen and instantly became a family favorite. I re-lived those magical moments in this exhibition, and collected a lot of trivia on puppets too, which I am documenting here, for you (and for me, lest I forget it some day)

There are 4 basic techniques followed in India: Rod, String, Glove and Shadow. As the name suggests, Rod puppets have rods beneath them on the main body and other sticks attached to hands. It takes 2-4 people to control a single puppet properly depending on the complexity. Likewise, String puppets are controlled using fine strings or wires. Glove puppets though self explainatory, some of them are so huge that 2-3 puppeteers get inside them and operate it from inside (just like those Lion Dance/Dragon dance sequences you see in the Oriental Movies, or the Horse Dancers u see in Rajasthan). While the Rod and Glove style of puppets are operated from below, the string puppets are operated from above.
Shadow puppets are an entirely different category and are operated from behind a semi-transparent backlit screen.

Statewise Description:

Rajasthan
Musical Instruments: Ravanhatha, Daph

Local name: Kathputli ka Khel
Style: String Puppets
The head is carved out of wood and painted, body is made of stuffed rags, and is costumed in long skirt tradational rajasthani attire.

Bengal
Musical Instruments: Violin, Clarinet, Dambaru and Ankle bells

Local Name: Bener putul
Style: Glove Puppets
Heads are made of terracota and they have wooden arms.

Local Name:Daangar Putul
Style:Rod Puppets
Heads and torso are made of wood and are painted in local pata style.

Local Name: Tarer Putul
Style: String Puppets
Made of Shola Pith, a type of soft wood.

Maharashtra
Musical instruments: Tuntune, Dholaki
Local Name: Kalasutri bahulya
Style: String Puppets
Bodies are made of wood and have shoulder joints.

Orissa
Musical Instruments: Jhanj, Jhumaka, Daskathi, Khanjari
Famous Plays: Sakhi Kundehi, Kathi Kundehi, Gopalila, RavanChhaya
Style: Glove Puppets(Sakhi Kundehi) , Rod Puppets(Kathi Kundehi), String puppet(Gopalila) and Shadow Puppets(RavanChhaya)
Heads and Torsos are Carved out of wood for the first 3 styles, Shadowpuppets are always done in Leather.

Trivia:

Orissa is the only Indian state which has puppeteers following all 4 basic puppetery styles.

The playof Ramayana is known as RavanChhaya, becoz Rama is an Indian God, an illuminating body and hence cannot cast shadows.

Orissi Shadow puppets are made of one piece Leather, they dont have any joints.

Uttar Pradesh
Style : Glove Puppets

Assam
Musical Instruments: Dhol, Dotara
Local Name: Putala Naach
Style: String Puppets
Made of Shola Pith. a type of soft wood.

Andhra Pradesh
Local Name: Tolu Bommalata
Style: Shadow Puppets
Made of Leather, unlike the Orissi counterparts, these puppets sport joints and are more flexible.

Kerela
Musical Instruments: Chenda, Sankh, Kurum Kuzhal, Edathalam, Chelenga, Ezhupara, Edakka

Local Name: Pava Kathakali
Style: Glove Puppets
The head and arms are carved out of wood and painted in Kathakali Style

Local Name: Tolpava Kuthu
Style: Shadow Puppets

Tamil Nadu
Local Name: Bomalattam
Style: String and Rod Puppets
Carved out of wood, elaborate costumes and sport light weight wooden jewllery.

Local Name: Tolubomalattam
Style: Shadow Puppets
Made of leather

Karnataka
Musical Intruments: Gejje, Mookh veena, Tala, Maddale

Local Name: Togalu Gombeyatta
Style: Shadow Puppets
Made of Leather

Local Name: Yakshagana Gombeyatta
Style: Rod Puppets
Made of wood and painted, decorated in Yakshagana style

Local Name: Sutrada Gombeyatta
Style: String Puppets
Made of wood and painted, decorated in Yakshagana style

Local Name: Salaki Gombeyatta
Style: String and Rod Puppets
Made of wood and painted, decorated in Yakshagana style
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Modern Puppets
Apart from these, there was a beautiful selection of Modern Puppets, made from day to day things like scrubs for Kitchen, spoons, Wool, Utensils and Papier Mache etc which added a new dimension to the puppet world.

All in all, Putul Yatra was an awesome experiance, it happens once every 2 years in Metrocities, 2007 it’ll be in Bangalore, so junta be ready, Mumbaikars who missed it, sorry to say that your next turn will not come in next 10 years. It was fun re-living those moments, Kids today watching Pokemon Dont know what they are missing!!
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Disclaimer: All the information compiled above is from a handout provided by Sangeet Kala Akademi, who were the main organisers of the function. All the puppets belong to them. It was not allowed to take snaps there, but I had clicked these before knowing that so thought might as well put them to good use. No copyright vioaltion is intended, and information is provided as public service. Thank you

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 29th, 2005 at 4:20 pm and is filed under E-pinion, Nostalgia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.