DecliningTraditional Wooden Puppetry of Telangana

Puppetry is  the oldest form of Folk Theatre in India. India is blessed with different forms of Puppets performed in different states.

Andhra Pradesh is well known for Traditional Shadow Puppetry and Wooden String Puppetry. Wooden Puppets are called as "Koyya or Chakka" meaning piece of wood. "Bommalata" meaning play of dolls-puppets.

Mothe Jaganathan and troupe from Ammapur Village, Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh is the only family still practicing wooden string puppets. The troupe consists of 10-12 members who are again interrelated to each other. All artists are singer, narrator, musician and also puppet manipulators. Most of them are men with 2-4 women also accompany during performance.

There is one more group near Tirupati, Chittor District, Andhra Pradesh is also giving  the wooden string puppetry performance. However, not much is known for the moment and it is also believed that they no more operate in a troupe and are disintegrated.

These traditional puppeteers also perform "Vedhi Bhagavatham" which they refer to as  "Yakshagana". "Yakshagana-yet another traditional folk art of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Apart from playing episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharatha they also give performances from Balanagamma, Lava-Kusha, Bhakta Ramadasa, Bhakta PrahaladaChanchu Lakshmi-Adi Lakshmi, Jayantha-Jayapala, Epidoses from Mahabharath-Virata Pravam, Ali-Arjuna,  Nagalok Nagkanya, Sathyavathi devi Katha, Kanthamathidevi Dharmanganda Story and so on.

They have around 16- 20 wooden sting puppets varying from Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Seeta devi and so on. One set of Puppets playing Kolatam-called Dandiya in Hindi. These puppets weigh between 12-15 Kgs. They are around 150-200 years old. The group is still persevering the oldest traditional puppetry, oral narration, songs, dialogues in traditional form. However, the present group is not aware of the puppet making technique.

Through the performance they also teach life skills, inculcate values and narrate about Indian Tradition and culture.

This picture is of Sri Rama and Seeta Devi Puppets taken during the performance.

This is Sri Rama Puppet weighs around 15kgs.

In this picture we can see SriRama, Seeta devi and a Saint or a Rishi

Close-up picture of Saint Puppet

In this picture we can also see the puppeteer holding the strings of Sri Rama Puppet.

The puppeteer holds the Seeta Devil puppet. The same Puppet becomes Rukmini or so when narrating Mahabharath stories or episode.

Unfortunately, most of us have deaf ears to listen, appreciate such art forms. Again, the next generation of Mothe Jaganathan i.e., his sons and daughters have not learnt this art form and have taken up other occupations.  Unless, the oral narration and the manipulation puppets are recorded and archived  and protected, no wonder this art form will also remain in cold storage and disappear soon without the mark.

This picture is of Puppets playing Kolatam-"Krishna Ras Leela".

However, there are good Samaritans who are trying their best to safeguard, protect  and keep this traditional folk art theatre alive.