Indian Puppetry Traditions: Kathputli, Togalu Gombeyatta, and Pavakoothu

Kathputli — String Puppetry of Rajasthan

Kathputli (Kath = wood, Putli = puppet/doll) is India's oldest and best-known puppetry tradition, originating in Rajasthan. It is performed by the Bhat community (also called Nat or Kathputli Bhat), who are traditionally itinerant performers. The tradition dates back at least to the 1st millennium CE, with references to string puppetry in ancient texts.

Technical features:

• Construction: The puppets are made of cloth and stuffed with rags or cotton, with a wooden head hand-carved and painted. They have no leg structures — only torsos and arms. A single main control string attached to the head and back of the puppeteer (who operates without a control bar, unlike Western marionettes) allows for fluid manipulation.

• Size: Typically 40–90 cm tall.

• Manipulation: The puppeteer (Sutradhar) operates the puppet with strings attached to fingers, sitting behind a partition (Pardah). Traditional performances used no electric lighting — oil lamps provided atmosphere.

Repertoire and themes:

• Folk legends: Dhola-Maru (a classic Rajput love story), Amar Singh Rathore (Rajput warrior of Nagaur), Prithviraj Chauhan, and stories of the goddess Shakti.

• Comedy and social satire: Slapstick sequences involving the puppet Anarkali or comic characters are also popular.

• Music: Accompanied by the Dholak (drum), Nagara, and singers — often the puppeteer's own family members.

Contemporary relevance: Kathputli performances are used in health communication (immunisation awareness), electoral literacy (Election Commission of India), and school education programmes. The Kathputli Colony in Delhi (recently relocated under a redevelopment project) was a UNESCO-highlighted case of traditional artists' displacement raising cultural rights issues.

Togalu Gombeyatta — Leather Shadow Puppetry of Karnataka

Togalu Gombeyatta (Togalu = leather/skin, Gombe = doll/puppet, Atta = play) is the shadow puppet theatre tradition of Karnataka, primarily practised in the Dharwad, Kolar, Tumkur, and Mysuru regions. The performers belong to the Killekyata community, hereditary artists who have traditionally been associated with goddess Bhavani worship.

Technical features:

• Puppets: Made from processed goat or deer skin, the puppets are translucent and often painted with natural colours. Unlike the opaque Tolu Bommalata puppets of Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Togalu Gombeyatta puppets let light through, creating a luminous shadow image.

• Size variation: Karnataka tradition uniquely has three sizes of puppets — large (for king and important characters), medium (for common characters), and small (for comic characters), creating a natural visual hierarchy on the screen.

• Screen: A large white cloth screen (approximately 3–4 metres wide and 1.5 metres tall) is erected, and a bright light source (traditionally oil lamps, now electric lights) is placed behind it. The audience watches the shadows on the front of the screen.

• Performance: Always performed at night. The manipulators hold the puppets (on thin sticks/rods) behind the screen, creating shadow figures.

Repertoire: The Ramayana and Mahabharata are the primary epics. The performance is accompanied by Carnatic music — Harmonium, Tabla, and Mridangam — along with singing.

Traditional context: Togalu Gombeyatta was traditionally performed at goddess temples during festivals, lasting through the night. It is considered both devotional entertainment and an act of religious merit. The performers often carry idols of the goddess Bhavani with them.

Pavakoothu / Tholpavakoothu — Shadow Puppetry of Kerala

Tholpavakoothu (Thol = leather/skin, Pava = puppet, Koothu = performance) is Kerala's leather shadow puppet theatre, performed primarily in the Palakkad district (formerly called Palghat) by the Pulavar community. It is one of the most elaborate and structured puppetry traditions in India.

Technical features:

• Koothu Madam: A special permanent or semi-permanent stone or brick theatre structure built inside temple premises (Bhagavati/Kali temples). It has a long horizontal stage with oil lamps (traditionally with coconut oil) providing the light source.

• Puppets: Made from treated deer or goat hide, cut into elaborate shapes representing various characters. The puppets can have up to 50–60 joints, allowing complex movements. A fully elaborated set may have 150+ puppets.

• Duration: A complete Tholpavakoothu performance covers the entire Ramayana (Kamba Ramayana in Tamil and the Sanskrit Ramayana) over 41 consecutive nights, from sunset to sunrise. Shorter programmes can be done over 7 or 21 nights.

• Illumination: The Koothu Madam's 21 traditional oil lamps (Pavakoothu Vilakku) create the light. The performance is considered an offering to the goddess — traditionally, the Pulavar singer-performers cannot watch their own shadow images from the front.

Repertoire: Exclusively the Ramayana. Unlike Togalu Gombeyatta, Tholpavakoothu does not perform the Mahabharata. The Pulavar performers sing the Kamba Ramayana (a Tamil composition) as well as Sanskrit shlokas, with percussion accompaniment (Chenda, Timila).

Social context: Tholpavakoothu is performed as a ritual offering (called Koothu Nerccha) by families or communities who have made a vow to the goddess Bhagavati. It is believed to bring prosperity and avert calamities. The Pulavar community are hereditary custodians of both the performance and the tradition of manufacturing the puppets.

Important Concepts and Subtopics

• Types of Indian puppetry — four broad categories: String (marionette), Shadow, Glove/Hand, and Rod puppetry; each distributed across different regions.

• Other notable puppet traditions: Tholu Bommalata (AP/Telangana — shadow), Putul Naach (West Bengal — rod), Kundhei Nacha (Odisha — string), Pavakathakali (Kerala — glove), Yampuri (Bihar — rod).

• Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA): Autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture; confers fellowships and awards to folk and traditional performing artists.

• National Puppet Festival: Organised by Sangeet Natak Akademi; brings together puppeteers from across India and abroad.

• NCERT textbooks: Shadow puppetry and Kathputli are mentioned in Art Education curricula as examples of performing folk arts.

Current Relevance

• Endangered tradition: Many puppetry traditions face decline due to changing entertainment patterns (television, digital media), displacement of artisan communities, and lack of institutional support.

• Government support: The Ministry of Culture provides financial assistance to performing artists through the scheme for 'Financial Assistance to Cultural Organisations' and SNA grants.

• UNESCO ICH safeguarding: India's traditional puppet theatre has been proposed under UNESCO intangible cultural heritage safeguarding mechanisms. The 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding ICH guides government policy.

• Puppetry and education: Several NGOs and government programmes use puppetry as a pedagogical tool in primary education and health communication — especially in rural and tribal areas.

• Contemporary adaptations: Artists like Dadi D. Pudumjee (founder of The Ishara International Puppet Theatre Trust) have brought contemporary puppetry to urban audiences, bridging traditional and modern sensibilities.

• UPSC Angle: Puppetry traditions are asked in the context of folk arts, performing arts, state-wise cultural traditions, and India's intangible cultural heritage policy.