Puppet show refers to the phenomenon in which dolls made of wood and other materials like fabric, glass and paints are used to stage a play .
Puppet show originated in Rajasthan. The typical Rajasthani structures of the faces, the attires of the puppets and the representation of the historical tales are truly enticing . Tales of Rana Kumbha, Rani Hadi Rana Pratap and many more brave Rajput warriors are told in a magical way . Love stories and folk tales of Karni Mata are depicted via those puppets as well . However, Puppet shows reached West Bengal as well Bengali folklore are explored via these puppet shows . The structure of the puppets found in West Bengal vary. Typical Bengali facial features are engraved on a piece of wood.
Life is almost like a puppet show as well, and it all seems metaphorical . We are all puppets in the hand of the almighty. Fate, or rather the three sisters of fate control the threads of our life . The journey of our life is all planned out and strategized properly. We just play along with the journey . A person controls each puppet in the puppet show . The characters are represented by both males and females and the voice varies as well. The puppets are dressed as per the rules of the folklore being narrated. The attire of a certain place changes over time . The older attires included sarees of an older style for women, and dhotis and patterned Kurtas for men.
Puppet shows are still an integral part of West Bengal. At school and college functions, puppet shows are held. It instills a feeling of Heritage among the young generation of the country. They get to know about the culture and Heritage of the country.
Art truly travels from one place to the other, truly. Art flows like time. Art never settles somewhere. Art is something fluid. Unlike realistic life, it is something that can reverse or alternate things as well. In reality, fishes can never fly, except one special kind of fish. But in the imaginative realm, fishes can fly just like the birds. The sky can be pink, or green in imagination.
Apples can be pink, instead of red. Cherries can be of different and varying hues as well. Puppet dance, or putul naach, is famous in West Bengal. Putul refers to puppet, or dolls in general and naach refers to dance. Accordingly, it is said that putul naach originated in the fourteenth century CE.
Today, putul naach is mainly practiced in the districts of South 24 Parganas. The puppets are up to 1.25 meters in height. The nachiye, or the individual who controls the puppets with his hands, often wear anklets with bells to enhance the sound effect during the putul naach.
Traditionally, women were not a part of the troupe. But, they used to lend their voices for female puppets. One recent Assamese movie, “Tezor Tukura ”, has puppetry as a major prop. The entire story is told via a puppet show. The story of gender inequality is presented in a very unique manner. The red cloth as insignia of violence, besides representing the dirty menstrual blood paints a vivid picture of the various evils of the society. The characters of the old lady and her sons, well represent the upholders of patriarchy who are still extremely dominant in the society. The old lady is like many other women, perpetrator and victim , consequently. The sons are like a reflection of Satan himself. Burma’s unique envisage of a wonderful tale in a creative style indeed makes the movie stand out, despite being unconventional and different.
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