Puppetry grew with man’s instinct to move. As he learnt something, he wanted the puppet to learn the same too. He made them move, sing and dance, just as he did and used whatever he found in his immediate surroundings to make them. Then he drew inspiration from his tradition to weave stories around them. This gave rise to the never ending classification of puppets, which range from string, rod, leather, wooden, hand puppets to life size Yakshagana puppets.
From being made in recycled and eco-friendly material, today, science and technology has made them lighter and portable. They have also become multipurpose objects that adorn homes as decorative objects, toys for kids, a recreational activity and a learning experience.
In Bengaluru, puppets are used for various recreational activities – from a summer camp to increase a child’s creativity and values, theatre classes to visualise emotions, to classrooms for interactive learning. Be it as an art, utility or commercial use, the number of puppets and their unfolding stories across the city has increased. Let’s look at some of the ways these dolls can catch your interest
Summer Camps for Children
For children, puppetry is alive cartoon show, says Beena Sunil, Training Manager at Tent Cinema.
Samarth and Meera, two children, who attended a puppetry workshop at Atta Galatta last weekend, preferred the stories and visuals to making the puppets. Kolkata-based Anumeha Fatehpuria, who was a teacher at the workshop recalls her childhood associations wit puppets. “We would share stories and make shadow puppets during power cuts,” she adds. To her the story-telling is an ice breaker that teaches adults lessons beyond their ego and children their values and morals. It gives the child a sense of responsibility and ownership over his/her dolls. She inspires to teach children how they can create their own stories and characters with no boundaries.
Puppetry in theatre classes
Puppetry is now treated as an essential art form to master acting skills. One such example is Tent Cinema where we spoke to Naveen Sanehalli, an acting and puppetry teacher.
He explains how teaching acting through puppets is remembered better than when read from a book. To be able to tell stories with a doll that doesn’t change its expression is a challenge that breaks barriers of creativity within an individual. The ability to capture an emotion with a puppet enhances the actor’s ability to do so. However, he laments about the state of puppets as an independent entity and the lack of its recognition.
Puppets as a classical art form
As you enter Bimba, the Art Hut, you will feel the change in atmosphere. Every inch of the place has been built by its proprietors Deepak and Deepika Dorai.
Deepika makes her own puppets. Over the years, she has mastered the art of wood carving, jewellery designing, costume designing and painting to give each of the seven-eight kilo-weighing dolls their own identity. Preserving and celebrating the art form through harmonisation of classical dance, music and storytelling, is the way ahead for Bimba. Puppetry is a reflection of divinity which Deepika tracks backs to its origination in the temples and court. “Puppetry is an ethereal flow that grows the connoisseur and creates an ambience of Bhakthi,” explains Deepak.
These are some of the ways the art of form has been inculcated into today’s world. The art form is gaining popularity across countries and the International Puppet Festival conducted in the city by Dhaatu has brought masters in the field from all over the world.
