Kathputli - The Art of Puppetry of Rajasthan

Kathputli (kath means wood, putli means doll), the art of puppetry of Rajasthan is believed to be more than a thousand years old. It is chiefly the Bhat community that practises this art.

Handcrafted in Rajasthan, the puppet's head is made of wood, and its clothing is made from recycled sarees. Traditionally a man plays music on his instrument while his female partner dances to popular tribal themes and traditional desert songs.

Puppeteers manipulate the puppets while making sounds like whistling and squeaking, which are interpreted by a narrator who also provides the rhythm. The puppeteer loops the string around his fingers to manipulate the puppet. A slight jerk of the string causes the puppets to produce movements of the hands, neck and shoulder. The puppets have no legs and so their movements are free. Their bodies and limbs are made of mango wood and stuffed with cotton. Since the performance has a very limited narrative, the movements of the puppets play a very important part.

Puppetry has been one of the oldest forms of entertainment that has also served as a medium for social commentary.