Fading Folk Theatre of Santhal Tribes of West Bengal, India- "Chadar Badar Puppetry "
Puppets are mainly of four types largely known to all in the world. They are Glove Puppets, String Puppets, Shadow Puppets, and, Rod Puppets. Most of the puppets existing around the world come under either of them. Some vary in sizes too and some adopt a combination of two or more. Chadar Badar does not fall under any of them. It is yet another type of unique puppetry called Chadar Badar of puppetry practiced by Santhal Adivasis of West Bengal and Jharkhand regions of India. Adivasis means Tribes. It is distinct from the common forms of puppets that are prevalent in other parts of India. The puppets are seven to nine inches long, and some are even five to eight inches carved out in wood and their movements are guided by a wonderful mechanism, supported by many levers. The puppeteer tugs the main cord which pulls the main lever, which in turn pushes a few small sticks upward and some downward; the limbs of the miniature puppets are attached to these sticks to make the puppets mov...