World Puppet Day -March 21st

Puppetry—a Traditional Performing art form with new approach

Introduction:

One of the best used known folk theatre forms acting as a communication network in rural India has been the Puppets. For ages this folk theatre has proven to be effective means of communication system. Puppetry has evolved as the basis for the theatre and drama art forms in many regions of India. From time immemorial, Puppetry- indigenous folk art of India has been accepted and appreciated form of entertainment.

Puppetry –the mother of performing art from is an amalgamation of other art forms like sculpting, music, dance, mimes, art of writing, and oral recitation. This clearly shows that Puppetry incorporates the atheistic beauty of all the performing arts. One more unique place that puppetry holds in performing arts is that in this art from the performer ‘Puppeteer’ creates and build his/her own characters and instruments.

As, varied elements go in creating this art form so is the application of this art from.

Puppetry in Modern times:

Gone are the days when traditional Puppeteers use to only play long episode and stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata and other mythology related stories. Then, people accepted, encouraged and supported puppetry and puppeteers, but now due to tremendous development in the electronic media and no takers and care for folk performing art form, along with others Traditional Puppetry is also fading away from the main stream.

On the one hand, in some states in India, traditional puppeteers are have given up this art from and have taken up other occupations for livelihood, on the other hand, today modern puppeteers from different walks of life and professionals have adopted this art form widely in addressing social, political, psychological and educations issues and needs.

Puppets are used in teaching, in awareness campaign, addressing girl-child education, child labour issues, environmental issues, even during election campaigns and canvassing puppets are largely used. Not only this, puppets are used in psychological counseling and have therapeutic values.

Trying hands in puppet making:

Anything and everything can be a puppet-right from a piece of paper to a book –puppets can play the role. The beauty is this art form gives ample scope for developing other related art forms. We can create magic with our palms and fingers. Isn’t it wonderful!

One need not be an expert to be use or make puppets, but should have the zeal and passion to learn. Ability to imagine, visualize and reproduce in the form of drawing or mask making is basic requirement to start this art. Gradually, one gets improve on drawing, sketching, sculpting and mask making and so on. Further, to start with small moral stories told by our grandmothers, stories from Panchatantras and Jataka tales would help.
Once confidence is gained one can write ones own story, create character, make puppets according to ones wish, name them, design them and manipulate them with a little bit of music and songs played here and there.

Eco friendly Finger Puppets making with vegetables:

Materials required:

1.Round small size brinjals-3-4 no

2.One Carrot, One Radish

3.white and red or any colour Buttons or beads small and big

4.Tooth pricks/ push pins or adhesive

5.Kitchen Knife (Elders assistance is must)

Method:

1.Clean the brinjals. Don’t cut the leafy tag.

2.Cut the base and scoop the center as per ones finger. (Take the help of mother or elders)

3.Place buttons or beads for eyes with the help tooth pricks/push pins or adhesive.

4.For nose, cut the conical edge of radish and carrot and push it with toothpricks/push pins

5.Place red big button or bead for the mouth.

Eco- friendly Bringi Puppet is ready Hey try it out and let me know how it has come and sent the picture.

Now insert it in your finger and start conversation….

Happy Puppets Day!

UNIMA International has declared March 21st as World Puppetry Day