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Being a 1000 years old craft it’s near to its extinction but the impression it had in rural areas especially in villages was phenomenal. Even today if you will attend big festivals of south-west india and cultural events like Kumbh mela, you will come across these things.
In villages of India it is known as Kathputli and in urbar areas to across the Globe, it is called as string puppetry. It is widely believed that Kathputli art’s native home is Rajasthan. As we will go further, I will tell you about all the process and working culture of Kathputli (String Puppetry).
Today many countries are claiming over the creation and ownership of string puppetry. However, many scholars found evidence of 1000 years old and more old proofs of string puppetry in the form of folk tales, ballads and sometimes even in folk songs, which tells that Kathputli (String Puppetry) is developed in Rajasthan, India. Tribes of Rajasthan have been performing this from ancient times and it is an undivided part of Rajasthani culture and tradition. It is believed that the 1500 years old Bhat community started the use of Kathputli. There was a time when No Village fair, no religious festival and no social gathering in Rajasthan can be completed without the Kathputli. The tradition and culture of Kathputli is based on folk tales and stories. They used to portray the lifestyle of ancient Rajastani tribal people and Rajastani royal family lives though the act.
Rajastani Kings and well-off families always have a passion towards art and crafts. They encouraged the craftsmen in developing various art crafts ranging from wood and marble, craving to weaving, pottery and painting. Bhat community claims their contribution for Kathputli and share their folk tales. They also add that they have received great honour and prestige from the rulers of Rajasthan. It’s almost on the door of extinction but for the quality of the craft it holds the second position on the top list and most popular after Ghoomar in Rajasthan. Many scholars are working the field of preserving and promoting the art of Kathputli, also has puppet theatre and museums.
We have listened this from folk tales which is widely believed to be true that, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati taken a human form and visited a sculptor’s shop. As they stopped and during a small conversation with the sculptor, they breathed life into these puppets and then the puppets started moving and dancing. As soon God moved from that space, the puppets became lifeless again. They the puppeteer came to God and requested to give them life but Goddess Parvati said, “As you are the creator of this small puppets you must give them life, not us”. They that sculptor got the idea to attach strings to the puppets and make the move and dance.
If you will observe a string puppet you will find that, it is comprised of segments connected to one another so nicely. They can be moved individually or connectedly as needed. There hands, forearms, shoulders, chest, hip, legs all are so well connected that they can be moved as a whole by a balanced movement for example: a full round, swing or a flying movement and can be moved separately when needed, for example: eye movements, lower jaw movements, hip movements, hand & legs movement. When the puppet moves after the body making completed, they walk their backsides sticking out and knees bent. That’s why artist use clothes which are loose and flexible for movement.
The string is used are always plastic, nylon strings which are very fine that they cannot be noticed from a 2-meter distance, which makes the act more beautiful. Also, the Puppeteer designs the puppet according to need of the play. The designing of the puppet is defined by the act, the script, the dressings required for the show. In a theatre the artist will hold the strings by hands, wrists or fingers, most of the time placed horizontally to the surface. There are small items that can be found in fishing store accessories that can be very useful such as swivels, lead weights for ballast, plastic strings (nylon, polypropylene) preferably multi-stranded, which are more flexible and also call less attention to themselves. To more easily adjust the length of the strings, one can mount them on clasps that can be attached to nails or staples on the side of the puppet, just like the control. Many times, small masks and wigs are used to use the same puppet for different characters.
Since it was a 1000 years old art, this doesn’t have the modern touch what needed to attract people on the millennial and post-millennial ages. As people of this ages are very much fascinated and attracted towards the modern-day arts like: Illusion arts, 3D arts and digital graphics art. But Central government and state government is working constantly to preserve and promote those through small art events.
Since no new artist are joining these skills, string puppetry is almost at the phase of end. In short period we will face the time when we will see these art craft forms in museum. Government should take steps, where new artist who will show passion and interest towards this craft will get monetary help, then we may keep this from being extinctic.
