By Pradip Jain
A set of 8 commemorative stamps on the puppets of India was released in February this year to celebrate the country's rich puppetry traditions.
Puppetry in India stands among the most ancient and expressive traditions of storytelling, weaving together art, craft, music, dance, and drama. It has long been an integral part of the nation’s cultural heritage, serving as a vibrant medium to convey religious beliefs, folklore, and social messages across generations.
Far beyond mere entertainment, it functions as a living bridge between timeless mythology and contemporary social commentary. Even today, though celebrated in festivals and heritage programs, this treasured art form faces challenges from the rise of digital entertainment and diminishing patronage. India Post issued a set of Four Miniature Sheets and a Sheetlet of eight stamps on the puppets of India in 2026 to keep the tradition alive.
The earliest reference to puppetry in India is in the epic Mahabharata, dating back to around the ninth century BC. Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian of the fourth century BC, and Patanjali, the author of the Yogasutra, mentioned puppets in their works; so did Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet of the second century BC, who wrote: 'the movements of a man who has not a sensitive conscience are like the simulation of life by marionettes moved by strings'.
Draupadi, a character from the Mahabharata, appears as a "leather shadow puppet" from the Andhra-Karnataka region.
In classical Sanskrit theatre, Sutradhara literally, the holder (dhara) or manipulator of strings (sutra), introduces and directs the play. The term is also used for an architect or carpenter. God, who holds the strings of the destinies of human beings in his hands, is referred to as the Sutradhara.
India today preserves around eighteen to twenty living puppetry traditions across its vast geography. These are broadly classified into four main types: string, rod, glove, and shadow puppets—each with distinct regional identities and performance techniques.
String puppets are prevalent in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Rod puppets are used in Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal. Glove puppets in Kerala, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Shadow puppet traditions have continued in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
The design, size, costumes, and colors of the puppets are largely determined by the characters they portray.
Traditional puppet plays in India enact stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas, besides local myths and tales. The puppeteer is the conveyor and interpreter of these messages. Through his magical world of puppets, he can transport the audience to a mythical time that stands still, or bring them down to earth with lively comments on the contemporary scene.
The design, size, costumes, and colors of the puppets are largely determined by the characters they portray. Sometimes they speak in their own special language of whistling voices or modulated delivery. The traditional art is transmitted from generation to generation in the family, and children learn the manipulation of puppets by watching and assisting their elders perform.
STRING PUPPET
Kathputli of Rajasthan is the most visible form of string puppet across a large part of northern India.
A string puppet (marionette) is a figure with articulated limbs, usually made of wood, cloth, or other materials, controlled by strings attached to a control bar. Puppeteers manipulate the strings to make the puppet walk, dance, or act. They’ve been part of theatrical traditions across the world—from European marionette theaters to Indian puppetry styles like Kathputli of Rajasthan.
Kathputli of Rajasthan is the most visible form of string puppet across a large part of northern India. The manipulators of the Kathputli, a puppet made of Kath or wood, are nats or bhats, a wandering community who perform during the dry season, and return to their villages to cultivate the fields after the rains. The puppeteers believe in a divine origin of their art and claim to have been the chief performers during the reign of the legendary king Vikramaditya, whose life and achievements they extol.
The puppeteers extol the life of King Vikramaditya.
The stories in the performing arts of Rajasthan mostly revolve around the exploits of local heroes. Amar Singh Rathore, the ruler of Nagaur in the seventeenth century, from where the puppeteers' community has its origin, was a great patron whose heroic deeds and death are sung and enacted.
String puppet plays are known as Yakshagana Gombeyatta in the coastal districts of Karnataka.
Puppetry in Karnataka has ancient roots, with references to leather puppets in the Neminath Purana and string puppets by the saint Basavanna. The Vijayanagara kings actively patronized this art. The main surviving forms are Sutrada Gombeyatta (string puppetry) and Togalu Gombeyatta (shadow puppetry), while Keelu Gombeyatta is extinct. String puppet theatre closely resembles Yakshagana in themes, music, costumes, and performance style.
Stories are drawn mainly from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. Large wooden puppets are manipulated by strings, accompanied by singers and percussion instruments. String puppet plays are variously known as Sutrada Gombeyatta in the Southern Mysore area, Gombeyatta in the north, and Yakshagana Gombeyatta of the coastal districts of Karnataka.
The string puppets, up to 1 metre high and weighing about 6 to 8 kilograms, are shaped out of light and durable varieties of wood. Distinguishing features of the northern and coastal puppets are their legs, hip and knee joints, which enable them to perform complex dance movements.
ROD PUPPET
The Daanger Putul Nach features a traditional repertoire of about twelve plays based on the Ramayana.
A rod puppet is a type of puppet operated with solid rods rather than strings. The central rod usually runs through the body, allowing the puppeteer to hold and control it directly, while thinner rods are attached to the arms or sometimes the head to create expressive movements. This design gives the puppeteer more precision and strength in gestures compared to string puppets, making rod puppets ideal for bold actions like battles, dances, or dramatic storytelling.
Daanger Putul Nach features a traditional repertoire of about twelve plays based on the Ramayana, along with popular social, historical plays of Jatras, and Bengali tales. Performances include operatic singing, expressive gestures, declamatory dialogue, and ornate costumes with zari crowns and velvet jackets, lasting up to three hours.
The large rod puppets, up to 1.25 meters tall, are carved from wood and painted in the pata style. A bamboo-and-cloth stage with painted backdrops is used. Puppeteers, mainly from Southern West Bengal, perform with musical accompaniment of khol, nagara, harmonium, and cymbals.
Kathi Kundhei is a traditional rod puppet theatre from Odisha.
The dance of dolls manipulated by Kathi (a wooden rod) is a reconstructed form of an older puppetry tradition. Performances begin with a stuti, followed by the Sutradhara introducing an episode from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, or Puranas, such as the battles of Durga and Mahishasur or Rama and Ravana.
The puppets, about 60 centimeters tall, have carved and painted wooden heads, jointed shoulders, and costumes resembling Jatra theatre. Arm movements are controlled by internal strings. Puppeteers operate from behind a screen, accompanied by drummers, cymbal players, and reed instrument musicians.
GLOVE PUPPET
A glove puppet is one of the simplest yet most expressive forms of puppetry. It is worn directly on the hand like a glove, with the puppeteer’s fingers controlling the head and arms. Typically, the index finger moves the head, while the thumb and the middle finger animate the arms, giving the puppet lively gestures and personality. Because the puppeteer’s hand is inside the puppet, movements are immediate and fluid, allowing for quick changes in expression and action.
Benir Putul is a glove puppetry tradition of West Bengal.
In the south of West Bengal, glove puppets carry the curious name of “Merchants' Puppets” (Benir or Bener putul). The name also means “braiding of hair” and refers to the movement of the puppets, which twist and turn like hair being braided.
Benir Putul performers are largely concentrated in the Medinipur District. The two male and female characters with terracotta heads and wooden hands or stumps are constantly sparring with each other. The puppets keep the rhythm with bells or cymbals tied to their wrists. The one-or two-man groups travel from village to village giving performances.
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Pavakathakali is especially important for presenting Kathakali stories through puppetry.
Pavakathakali, a glove puppet theatre of Kerala, emerged about two centuries ago under the influence of the classical dance-drama Kathakali. By adapting Kathakali techniques and modelling puppets on its characters, this unique art form developed. The word Pava means “puppet,” and Kathakali means “story play”. Pavakathakali is especially important for presenting Kathakali stories through puppetry. From its origin, it was mainly meant to entertain and educate children.
SHADOW PUPPET
A shadow puppet is a flat figure, often made of leather or paper, that is held against a translucent screen with a light source behind it. The puppeteer manipulates the puppet with rods or strings so that its silhouette appears on the screen, creating a dramatic play of light and shadow. Because the audience sees only the moving shadows, the performance feels mysterious and magical, with the figures seeming larger than life.
A shadow puppet is a flat figure, often made of leather or paper.
Ravanachhaya, meaning “Shadow of Ravana,” is an Odisha shadow puppet tradition based on the story of Rama, named after Ravana because Rama is believed not to cast a shadow. It follows the Odia version of Vichitra Ramayana of Vishvanath Khuntia and is also called Ramlila or Ramanataka. Once popular in Angul and Dhenkanal, it now survives mainly in the Odasa region of Angul district. Simple, unpainted leather puppets create dark silhouettes. Performances use a dhoti screen, oil lamps for light, ritual prayers, and music with khanjani, daskathi, and kubuji.
Tolu Bommalatta translates to "dance of leather dolls" in Telugu.
Tolu Bommalatta, the shadow puppet theatre of Andhra Pradesh, is one of the earliest extant folk forms of the region. Etched in multiple colors, the mythological and imaginary puppet figures create a rare combination of nearness and distance through their translucence behind a white screen - the product being a series of aesthetically satisfying pictorial designs coming to life through movement, song, and word. One of the fascinating features of these puppet shows is the creative exuberance of the manipulator-singer performers.
India issued a commemorative stamp on October 29, 1991, featuring a traditional puppet, to honor Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya. These stamps marked her 3rd death anniversary and celebrated her immense contribution to Indian handicrafts and cultural revival.
The design, size, costumes, and colors of the puppets are largely determined by the characters they portray. Sometimes they speak in their own special language of whistling voices or modulated delivery. The traditional art is transmitted from generation to generation in the family, and children learn the manipulation of puppets by watching and assisting their elders perform.
(Pradip Jain is a well-known philatelist with several Gold Medals in international philately to his credit. His book, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial issues of 1948, was published in 2015. Contact: [email protected])
(All photos courtesy of the author)
