Puppetry has long been a fascinating art form that has piqued audiences’ curiosity of all ages. The traditional art genre, which depicts the lives of famous rulers and heroes, is prevalent in rural India. Puppetry in India has its distinct personality based on its place of origin, which emerged from the grass root levels. Over time, a fusion of regional painting and sculpting styles has been mirrored, making them more holistic. Unfortunately, it is a disappearing art. Puppetry arts has been less respected, and less known as other forms of readily available entertainment have grown in popularity. Knowledge of these old forms is restricted to a tiny group, and if we want to help popularise it again, we must make it more freely available.
Types Of Puppetry Arts
There are four significant forms of puppetry in India– string puppetry, rod puppetry, shadow puppetry, and glove puppetry.
1) Glove Puppets
Glove Puppetry has been mentioned several times in Indian history. In the hands of a master puppeteer, this puppet is a sight to behold. The puppets, which resemble limp dolls, can perform a variety of moves. The puppeteer’s fingers control the heads and arms of the puppets in this specific form. The subject and delivery of the skit vary greatly across Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and West Bengal. In Uttar Pradesh, stories are frequently oriented on societal issues, but in Odisha, most of the performances relate to the legends of Radha and Krishna.
Types of Glove Puppets :
- Pavakoothu
- Sakhi Kundhei
- Pava Kathakali
- Benir Putul
2) Rod Puppets
Rod puppets are a vast, much larger version of glove puppetry. Rods are used to manipulate the puppets in this style. This type of puppetry expression may be seen in West Bengal and Odisha.
According to Bengali puppeteers, Rod puppets are preferable to string puppets due to their superior control. The Putul Nautch of West Bengal’s Nadia area stands around 3-4 feet tall. The technology utilised to manipulate these puppets creates a theatrical experience. Following in the footsteps of the Bengali Jatra theatrical genre, a group of musicians provides the music for the show, while the puppeteer delivers the direct dialogue and songs.
Types of Rod Puppets :
- Putul Nautch
- Yampuri
- Kathi Kundhei Nacha
3) Shadow Puppets
Shadow puppetry is widely popular in India, with several forms emerging from various areas. Shadow puppets, a type of puppetry you may be more acquainted with, are flat and controlled against a white-clothed screen. This very sophisticated art is about gauging the ideal mix of light and screen. The proper adjustment of both will result in a project with a stunning silhouette and vibrant shadows.
Puppet sizes in Karanataka’s traditional type of shadow puppetry reflect the social position of the character they represent. The royal and religious members are represented by more oversized puppets, while more miniature puppets represent the common folk and servants. Tongalu Gombeyaata puppets are generally red, blue, black, or green in hue. While the art was traditionally employed to depict stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, significant people such as Mahatma Gandhi have appeared in recent years. The performances began at night and will go till sunrise. The programme starts with an invocation to the Hindu God Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati.
Types of Shadow Puppets :
- Tholu Bommalata
- Ravana Chhaya
- Togalu Gombeyatta
4) String Puppets
The string puppet is possibly the most well-known and spoken-about kind of puppetry in India. This type of puppet has jointed limbs controlled by strings, allowing for greater flexibility. Because of their higher control, they are the most eloquent of all the puppets and the most difficult. The skill required to manipulate these puppets is typically the result of years of effort. String puppetry has thrived in Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Kathputli is a style of string puppetry from Rajasthan that features big multicoloured dolls that are vibrantly clothed. The outfits’ inspiration originates from Medieval Rajasthan. Puppeteers use harsh voices created by speaking using a bamboo reed. To mention a few, the art form addresses societal issues such as dowry, women’s empowerment, illiteracy, and poverty. A kathputli has oval eyes and arched brows and is accompanied by a dramatised regional music rendition.
Types of String Puppets :
- Yakshagana Gombeyata
- Gopalila Kundhei
- Tarer Putul Nach
- Kathputli
- Bommalattam
- Nool Pavakoothu
- Kalasutri Bahulya
Puppetry in India KARNATAKA PSC notes
According to some academics, the puppetry art form dates back thousands of years. Many folk stories, ballads, and even folk songs have references. This article will discuss the numerous puppet types seen in India.
Throughout history, puppetry has played an essential role in traditional entertainment. Themes for puppet theater, like conventional theater, are typically based on epics and tales in India; you may find almost every form of a puppet. Puppets from various sections of the country have distinct personalities. Regional painting and sculpting styles are mirrored in them.
Conclusion
Puppetry is one of the oldest forms of entertainment in the Indian subcontinent. Several kinds and varieties of puppetry arose throughout the centuries, and they were primarily transmitters of Hindu mythology and moral ideals. They were stewards of folklore, culture, and custom. They have, however, been dwindling during the last century.
Several cultural groups have attempted to resurrect the Indian puppetry art form, but the efforts have been primarily futile given the present digital generation. However, we must help in whatever manner we can to maintain our country’s rich creative forms while keeping up with global trends.
Akbar’s Tomb had all the designs related to experimentalism rather than focusing on the harmony of designs. The monument was created with beautifully crafted stones and had an aesthetic appreciation. There were various windows at the time. The Tomb was designed with unique Persian floral designs. There were various geometrical designs provided for systematic representation of the structure. Therefore, even when It was built such a long time ago, the cultural effects of the Tomb still reflect upon the artistic development of artists.
Achievements of Akbar
Akbar resigned as a powerful king during his rule and had proved that he was one of the greatest emperors of India. He has achieved milestones that created history, and people speak of him with the utmost respect. Akbar was successful in creating an extremely strong military. He also gained the trust of his soldiers and maintained loyalty to them. He created a powerful army by promoting Non-Muslim officials into high military officials. The non-Muslim soldiers, in return, proved their loyalty towards him.
Another achievement made by Akbar was his friendship with the Rajputs. Rajputs and Mughals always had a history of hostility among them. Both religions are always ready to fight each other. In order to build a strong alliance with the Rajputs, he married into their religion. In this way, Akbar created a great friendship with the Rajputs. He captured major parts of Mewar by defeating them in battles. He achieved this due to his bravery and by the support of his Rajput friends.
Reasons for the name Akbar The Great
Akbar was a great emperor and was called great by his people. There are many facts for why he was called Akbar the great. The amount of respect that he achieved from his subjects was commendable. He was called Akbar the Great due to his achievements. He had created such a strong army and helped make useful connections with the Rajputs. He learned to fight and run at a very early age, which helped him become a great emperor. However, he had dyslexia and never wanted to study. Even after that, he ruled a great kingdom and became one of the greatest emperors.
He was called Akbar the Great due to his making an unbeaten record for military campaigns. His intelligence and winning strategies have helped him achieve the title. Another achievement due to which he got the title was stretching the empire’s boundaries from Northern to Southern parts of India. He made sure that his enemies could never defeat him by making stronger allies. He showed excessive interest in music and encouraged debate in his court among all these qualities. He always appreciated people with great knowledge of art and music. these are the qualities of becoming a great human being. Therefore, he had all the qualities of becoming Akbar the Great.
Conclusion
Akbar was a great king and always had proved his loyalty towards his country and his people by making them his priority. Akbar used to make strategic policies keeping the betterment of his people and country in his mind. He respected his religion and accepted all other religions with a whole heart. Even after many objections from his people, he created a bond of friendship with the Rajputs. He was somehow successful in making them a part of his family. Hence, it can be said that Akbar the Great was a justified name for him.