Kathputli Dance means the dances of puppets. This Puppet dance based on popular legends are performed by skilled puppeteers. Displaying his skill in making the puppets’ act and dance, the puppeteer is accompanied by a woman, usually his wife, who plays the dholak, or drum and sings the ballad.
Kathputli Dance Attractions
Puppet Dance of Rajasthan
In the puppet dance, there are a number of wooden dummy dolls that are dressed up in bright and color attires. These puppets are attached with strings that the puppeteer uses to move them around. A miniature stage is set up with the help of a cot that is laid by length. The puppeteer tacks his puppets over a rope joined to the upper legs of the cots.
The cots are covered with sheets in order to conceal the puppeteer from the view of the public. He moves the jointed limbs of the puppets with the help of strings attached to each of them.
Different Puppetry Shows in Rajasthan
The puppets in Rajasthan are one of the popular sources of entertainment in the state. It is an ancient and popular form of folk entertainment in Rajasthan and considered as the most expressive of all theatrical forms.
There are various types of puppetry shows performed in Rajasthan. Some are glove puppets, some are rod puppets, some puppetry shows use string and rod puppets and last but not the least is the shadow puppets.
Puppetry – Traditional Occupation of People in Marwar
The art of puppetry is practiced by a community of agricultural laborers of Rajasthan. Known as the Bhats, these people have been associated with Rajasthani string puppetry to carry forward their traditional occupation.
Though they belong, originally, to the Nagaur area in the Marwar region, they travel all through the countryside to exhibit their skills. Also known by the name of the “kathputliwalas”, they usually perform the puppet shows during the late evenings.
