Shadow puppetry of andra pradesh

The origins of shadow puppets in India are attributed to the gods, and the plays usually take place outside of temples to Shiva, who is the patron god of puppets. Legends say that Shiva and his goddess wife Parvati one day visited the shop of a toymaker who had created some wooden dolls with jointed limbs. Parvati, enchanted by the dolls, asked Shiva to let spirits enter the dolls so that they could dance. The toymaker, watching this from behind a screen, saw only shadows and got the idea to create shadow puppets.

The Legend

• As early as the twelfth century, the art of puppetry flourished in Andhra Pradesh, narrating stories of divinity, sometimes taking the divine dimensions itself.

• Leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh is known as Tholu Bommalata, (Tholu – leather, Bommalata – puppet dance). Two other kinds of shadow puppetry are practiced in Andhra Pradesh, the Sutram Bommalata (String puppets) and the Koyya Bommalata (Wooden puppets). The leather puppets, because of their transparency and jewel like glow, are most popular.

Leather Puppetry

Craftsman V. Shankar (Nimmalakunta, Andhra Pradesh

A Leather Puppet Shop

• The leather puppet, which was traditionally crafted from deer skin, is made from goat hide now.

• in the painting of leather too, chemical colours are replacing natural ones.

• these puppets have a brilliant perforated designs drawn on the characters to depict jewellery

Main characteristics:

• The sizes of the main characters range from 4’ x 1½’ to 6’ x 2½’.

• Bright electrical lighting has replaced mild earthen lamps but the magical glow of the characters and their phantasmagorical narratives still transport the audience to the surreal world of divine sagas.

The Screen

A Typical Village Theatre

Behind The Curtain

The Show

• The musical instruments consists of a harmonium

• a portable keyboard organ that sometimes serves only as a drone

• a long, two-headed South Indian drum with tapering ends (mrdangam)

• strings of bells worn on the ankles and wrists; and pairs of finger cymbals.

Musical instruments

Different Leather Puppets

Shadow Puppetry in the Village Fair

AESTHETICS OF SHADOW PUPPETRY

• The art form has its own unique style – intricate design details, holes made to let the light pass and give a glowing jewelry effect.

• The shadow looks very aesthetically appealing through the translucent background.

• The epics shown this way is fascinating to see and enjoy for all age groups.