Rajasthani puppetry art is called as “Kathputli”. Kathputli is a join of two rajasthani language words Kath meaning wood and Putli meaning a doll. Kathputli means a puppet which is made entirely from wood. However it is made out of wood, cotton cloth and metal wire. Tribes of Rajasthan have been performing this art from the ancient times and it has become an eternal part of Rajasthani culture and tradition. It gives the state of Rajasthan an immense proud in showcasing this talented dance form first to the entire world centuries ago. These handmade wooden puppets are much more than just plaything or decorative dolls. They are a part of the traditional performance of puppetry – narrating an event from history, myths, folklore or legend, complete with music and speech. They are the repository of traditional wisdom, knowledge and social mores. Within them are contained the oral history of the region.

Puppetry

The Rajasthani string puppets are unique in their own ways. These gorgeous and colorful puppets are hand carved using wood and cloth. The head of the puppets are made out of wood and colored according to characters they depict in the episodes. The puppets are generally crafted in areas like Sawai-Madhopur, Bari and Udaipur. The puppets are usually two feet in height having a wooden head with a huge nose and large eyes. The rest of the body is prepared of colorful and bright pieces of cloth and stuffed clothes which also allow for free movement. Unless they are horse riders, the puppets have no legs but are covered with a long pleated skirt. The puppet has a long thread for the head which reaches the manipulator and then joins the middle";" the threads from the two hands of the puppet are tied to the hands of the manipulator.
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