Indian puppetry is an ancient, diverse art form (dating back ~4,000 years) serving as both entertainment and storytelling, with deep roots in religious epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Categories

  • String puppetry, or marionette puppetry
  • Shadow puppetry.
  • Indian rod puppets.
  • Glove puppetry or hand puppetry.

Examples of Different Categories

Puppetry Type Example

String Puppetry, or Marionette Puppetry
  • Kundhei of Odisha
  • Kathputli of Rajasthan
  • Bommalattam of Tamil Nadu
  • Gombeyatta of Karnataka

Shadow Puppetry
  • Togalu Gombeyatta of Karnataka
  • Ravanachhaya of Odisha
  • Tholu Bommalatta of Andhra Pradesh.

Indian Rod Puppets
  • Yampuri of Bihar
  • Putul Nach of West Bengal

 

 Glove Puppetry or Hand Puppetry.
  • Pavakoothu of Kerala

 

Source: PIB