Forms of Puppetry

As kids, puppets used to be the main centre of attraction for us. We would get charged up with energy every time we saw a puppet. The origin of puppetry art dates back many centuries ago. Puppetry in India has been very famous. There was a time when puppetry shows were an attraction in the carnivals and the streets of villages. Through puppets, we could witness people displaying various societal issues, everyday problems, and their life stories.

There are different forms of puppetry which are:

1. Hand puppets
2. Glove puppets
3. Finger puppets
4. Stick puppets
5. Sock puppets
6. Shadow puppets
7. Marionettes
8. Rod and arm puppets

Different Forms of Puppetry

Marionettes 

The marionettes originated in 1800. Marionettes are full-length figures controlled by strings attached to all four limbs of the puppet. A puppet handler uses these strings to control the movement of the puppet.

Rod puppets

A rod puppet is the modified version of the marionette. These were the puppets supported by rods. The rod puppets are controlled from the bottom. A stick is passed from the head through the body, which aids in controlling the movement of the hands and legs of the puppet. 

Hand puppets

Glove puppets or hand puppets are controlled by wearing over the hand. They are made from cloth and are worn by a person whose hands fit in the glove. The person can fit their finger into the arms of the cloth puppet and then control its movement. The puppeteer can operate two puppets at once as it requires the usage of one hand per puppet.

Flat-figure puppet

This is a two-dimensional puppet operated from above, just like the marionette. The use of flat-figure puppetry arts began in England in toy theatres. 

Shadow puppet

A shadow puppet is a flat figure puppet where the shadow is projected on a screen. Figures are placed between the light and a screen and are used to depict various scenes and conditions. They have the form of stick puppets shaped into clear outlines and utilised to form silhouettes.  

Bunraku puppets

This is the form of puppetry where the person controlling the puppets is visible alongside the puppets. Each person holds a different part of the body of the puppet. Three people can operate these puppets at once. 

Stick puppets

These puppets are used in elementary schools for making learning fun for the kids. They are formed from cut-out images. These are then stuck on a stick. 

Finger puppets

These are the simplest puppets and are controlled by the fingers of the puppeteer. You can have various characters on the one hand by placing one character on each finger. They don’t have any movable parts. The only source of movement in these puppets is when the puppeteer bends their fingers. 

Ventriloquist’s puppet

This is perhaps the most exciting type of puppet where the audience gets an illusion that the puppeteer’s voice is coming from inside the puppet. Earlier, hard wooden blocks were used for making a ventriloquist puppet, and now soft puppets are also used. The puppet is made to sit on the lap of the puppeteer, and he passes a hand from the back into the puppet. You may have seen the use of these puppets in many movies and films.

Some puppetry of India

Pavakoothu, Kerala

The glove puppet play in Kerala is known as Pavakoothu. In 18th century this form of puttery came into existence and it was an influence of Kathakali, which is a famous classical dance form in Kerala. In this form of puppetry, the height of the puppet ranges from one to two feets. The arms and heads of the puppets are carved from wood. These carvings are joined together with the help of thick cloth, stitched, and cut into a little bag. 

Yampuri, Bihar

This traditional puppet of Bihar is a rod puppet and is known as Yampuri. The puppets are made from wood and they do not have any joints. The manipulation of these puppets are somewhat different from other forms of Rod puppets. 

Togalu Gombeyatta, Karnataka

This type of puppet is shadow puppets of Karnataka. Togalu Gombeyatta puppets are small and different in size depending upon the social status they depict. The puppets for kings, queens, and other religious characters are larger in size than puppets of common people and servants. 

Other puppetry in India

Some other puppetry in India are:

• Bommalattam of Tamil Nadu
• Gombeyaata of Karnataka
• Kundhei of Odisha
• Kathputli of Rajasthan
• Tholu Bommalata of Andhra Pradesh
• Ravana Chhaya of Orissa
• Putul Nautch of West Bengal

Conclusion

We have now reached the end of the article. By now, you must have gained knowledge of the different forms of puppetry in India. Puppets have been a source of entertainment and recreation since time immemorial. The art of puppetry is very old and can be traced down to the 5th century BC. Puppeteers convey solid messages and emotions through their puppet show. It attracts everyone, young or old, and creates happiness in people’s minds. 

Puppets can be of many types depending on their sizes and control, ranging from hand puppets to glove puppets, from marionettes to rod puppets.