Puppet Forms in India: Notes for UPSC Art and Culture - Testbook.com

Delving into the Different Types of Puppets in India

India boasts of four major different types of puppets. Let's take a look at these puppet forms and the states where they are popular:

• Glove Puppets – 3 different types
  1. Bhavai Gombe – Karnataka
  2. Koyya Bommalu – Andhra Pradesh
  3. Kankalini Nach – Bihar

To discover more about the Glove Puppet Forms in India , visit the linked article.

• Rod Puppets – 3 different types
  1. Kathputli – Rajasthan
  2. Togalu Gombeyata – Karnataka
  3. Kundhei Nach – Odisha

To know more about the Rod Puppet Forms in India , refer to the linked article.

• Shadow Puppets – 6 different types
  1. Tholu Bommalata – Andhra Pradesh
  2. Togalu Gombeyata – Karnataka
  3. Tolpavakoothu – Kerala
  4. Chamadyache Bahulya – Maharashtra
  5. Ravanachhaya – Orissa
  6. Thol Bommalattam – Tamil Nadu

• String Puppets – 6 different types
  1. Putal Nach – Assam
  2. Gombeyatta – Karnataka
  3. Kalasutri Bahulya – Maharashtra
  4. Gopalila Kundhei – Orissa
  5. Kathputli – Rajasthan
  6. Bommalattam – Tamil Nadu

Learn more on how you can tackle Art and Culture for the UPSC Exam , by visiting the linked article.

Understanding Puppets

A puppet is essentially a doll or figure manipulated by a person to create the illusion of independent movement.

The Decline of Puppetry Art

There are various reasons for the decline of puppetry art.

1. Decreased patronage in the modern age.
2. The advent of electronic media, which has become a more favored mode of entertainment. People are more inclined to watch mythological stories of Ramayan and Mahabharata on electronic media rather than through puppetry.
3. Puppetry Art is typically limited to devotional and mythological stories.
4. Puppetry has not evolved to address modern social issues.
5. Puppetry lacks modernization in terms of script, lighting, sound, and other stage effects.

The Origin of Puppets

Puppetry, as an art form, is believed to be more than 3000 years old. The earliest puppets are thought to have originated in Egypt, where puppets made of ivory and clay were found in tombs. Even ancient Greek Scholars like Aristotle and Plato mentioned puppets as early as 422 B.C.

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