22:
347:
time, they can be pinned to the screen with date palm thorns. A puppet can be rapidly pinned with one or two of the long, thin thorns passed through perforations in a headdress or shoulder ornaments. Such puppets are still able to engage in animated conversation by means of the sticks moving their hands. Characters that engage in rough fighting, such as the monkey king
Hanuman or the jesters, are often held from the hip, enabling them to be moved with greater control than by the central stick alone.
419:. All other puppets are typically made from goat skin, readily available locally. Most puppets are made from a single skin, though some require more. At least four skins are necessary for Ravana â one for his body, one for his legs, and one to make each set of five arms. The puppets are made from 'nonviolent leather', that is the skin of animals that died a natural death is used rather than slaughtering animals for their skin.
339:
arms are moved with detachable sticks that have a small piece of string with a peg at the end, which slip into holes on the hands. Generally, one puppeteer manipulates all three sticks of a single puppet, holding the central handle stick in one hand and two arm-control sticks in the other. Often two to three puppeteers operate puppets on the screen at the same time, each one delivering the lines for his or her own puppet.
219:
382:); strings of bells worn on the ankles and wrists; and pairs of finger cymbals. A wooden shoe with stilts is used to keep its wearer above the mud during the rainy season, and can be struck against schoolchildren's seating planks to create dramatic clacking and banging sound effects for fight scenes.
338:
The performance begins with a series of sung invocations and a line of ornate, strikingly stylized puppets pinned in overlapping fashion onto the sides of the screen. The puppets are mounted in the middle on a palm stem, extended to form a handle used to move the body of the puppet. Their articulated
543:
Puppetry is one of the most ancient Indian folk arts and Andhra history records that this art was in vogue during the
Satavahana period in the 4th century B.C. Art critics opine that the puppetry spread from Andhra to Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, and from there to Africa, Greece,
346:
The puppeteers accompany all the character's speeches with animated movement of the arms and hands, which they can flip over to create a three-dimensional effect. The swaying of freely dangling legs also adds to the feeling of animation. When several puppets are stationary on the screen at the same
427:
The shadow play has been only one set of techniques for dramatizing the vastly rich Hindu epics. It has now been superseded by motion pictures and television, which have reinvigorated the epics for the electronic age. But the shadow play was a brilliant innovation, one whose visual artifacts hold
350:
Every few minutes throughout the performance, the action will be broken by the episodes of broad comic relief from the jesters speaking in a slangy, quirky style and engaging in slapstick antics. Some of these depend on puns or risqué allusions. Except for certain commonly used expletives, their
342:
As the players manipulate the puppets, placing them on the screen and then moving them away, they create the illusion of the figures suddenly materializing and then fading out. They also cause the figures to walk, sway, hop, and fly through the air. They can swivel a dancer's detachable head and
410:
Three types of skins have been used to manufacture puppets: antelope, spotted deer and goat. Antelope skins are reserved for making a limited number of auspicious characters, such as the gods and epic heroes. Deer skin, noted for its strength and resistance to rough handling, is employed in the
401:
Comparisons of shadow plays to movies can be informative. The shadow play was an ingenious technology of animating pictures, developed centuries before the advent of the motion picture industry. Here was a method of enabling four or five people to bring a hundred or more colorful mythological
402:
characters to life in the most remote village, all accompanied by virtuoso singing, contagious rhythms, and dramatic sound effects. The characters' costumes were elaborate, with swirling sashes and ornate necklaces and garlands, all cut to let points of light glisten in intricate patterns.
64:. Its performers are part of a group of wandering entertainers and peddlers who pass through villages during the course of a year and offer to sing ballads, tell fortunes, sell amulets, perform acrobatics, charm snakes, weave fishnets, tattoo local people and mend pots.
133:," is a traditional shadow puppetry art form that has its roots in Tamil Nadu, India. It is a highly stylized and intricate form of storytelling using leather puppets. The term "Tolu" means leather, and "Bommalattam" means puppetry in Tamil.
633:
Perhaps the most interesting of the south-Indian puppet types for me, however, were the tholu bommalata -- the articulated, leather, shadow puppets -- which are the probable ancestors of
Indonesia's wayang.
686:
Leather puppet shadow play is one of the most ancient performing folk art forms known to
Andhras from 3rd century B.C. Historians and art critics opine that it spread to Java, Malaysia, and Indonesia from
603:
Developed before the 10th century, the form had origins in the tholu bommalata, the leather puppets of southern India. The art of shadow puppetry probably spread to Java with the spread of
Hinduism.
850:
21:
932:
325:
318:
91:. The puppeteers comprise some of the various entertainers who perform all night and usually reenact various stories from Hindu epics such as the
366:
in
European operas. The players serve as their own musicians and all members of the troupe know the music that accompanies the various passages.
860:
833:
802:
710:
659:
571:
536:
499:
526:
393:. Accompanied only by the drum and finger cymbals, the player sings raising his hand up to one ear, as if to listen to what he is singing.
922:
788:
362:
are sung with instrumental accompaniment. These occur especially in contexts of heightened emotion or important events, rather like the
927:
912:
311:
885:
825:
758:
284:
880:. Vol. 7. Oxford University Press in Association with the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery/Smithsonian Institution, New York.
666:
The tolu bommalata shadow puppets are found in the Andhra region and may be the origin of the
Javanese wayang kulit puppets.
378:, a portable keyboard organ that sometimes serves only as a drone; a long, two-headed South Indian drum with tapering ends (
351:
language is not obscene, though sequences may be bawdy to a degree not observed in other popular forms of entertainment.
174:
77:
428:
clues to the history of South Asian art and drama and deserve to be preserved for the delight of generations to come.
819:
700:
485:
463:
557:
917:
248:
294:
243:
238:
233:
210:
466:. Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Archived from
279:
679:
563:
559:
The Shadow Puppet
Theatre of Malaysia: A Study of Wayang Kulit with Performance Scripts and Puppet Designs
649:
907:
183:
126:â "play/dance"). It is also translated as "the play of leather dolls" or "the dance of leather dolls".
937:
169:, the Indonesian puppet theatre play which has been a staple of Indonesian tourism and designated by
72:, the Indonesian puppet theatre play which has been a staple of Indonesian tourism and designated by
88:
83:
This ancient custom, which for centuries before radio, film, and television provided knowledge of
343:
manipulate her hands while keeping her hips swaying to create a remarkable illusion of twirling.
142:
717:
Indonesian version of Tholu
Bommalata known as "Wayang" has roots in the Telugu-speaking region.
881:
856:
829:
798:
706:
655:
567:
532:
495:
438:
289:
145:(2nd century BCEâ2nd century CE). Art critics opine that the puppetry spread from Andhra to
355:
269:
621:
274:
130:
53:
37:
762:
901:
522:
299:
264:
49:
87:
and local folk tales, not to mention news, spread to the most remote corners of the
389:
closely resemble the form of singing from an old-fashioned drama genre known as
99:
375:
84:
61:
794:
379:
146:
467:
491:
359:
158:
154:
150:
93:
587:
385:
The singing style and the conventions of vocal delivery that accompany
218:
162:
25:
622:"Observations on the historical development of puppetry - Chapter Two"
416:
170:
166:
73:
69:
29:
730:
141:
Andhra history records that shadow puppetry was in vogue during the
702:
Folk India: A Comprehenseive Study of Indian Folk Music and
Culture
442:, a similar form of puppetry in the neighbouring state of Karnataka
68:
has a history of consistent royal patronage. It is the ancestor of
412:
57:
363:
354:
Interspersed with spoken dialogue, verse passages in literary
852:
The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific
16:
Shadow puppet theatre of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India
528:
Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti
181:. Some of the shadow plays are improvised based on
129:Tolu Bommalattam, also known as "Bommalattam" or "
114:literally means "the dance of leather puppets" (
732:Tholu Bommalata: Telugu Shadow Puppet Theatre
684:. Janapada Vijnana Prachuranalu. p. 90.
319:
8:
933:Geographical indications in Andhra Pradesh
326:
312:
217:
201:
818:Kuiper, Kathleen, ed. (15 August 2010).
175:Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
78:Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
20:
452:
256:
225:
209:
744:
742:
458:
456:
60:with roots dating back to 3rd century
855:. Taylor & Francis. p. 162.
782:
780:
753:
751:
487:Acting: An International Encyclopedia
374:The musical instruments consist of a
7:
643:
641:
615:
613:
611:
517:
515:
513:
511:
479:
477:
876:Bruce Tapper (SpringâSummer 1994).
790:Routledge Handbook of Asian Theatre
761:. Puppetryindia.org. Archived from
544:Macedonia and the Byzantine empire.
52:theatre tradition of the state of
14:
826:Britannica Educational Publishing
705:. Sundeep Prakashan. p. 33.
620:Keith, Rawlings (November 1999).
531:. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1317.
36:, the shadow puppet tradition of
285:Shadow puppets of Andhra Pradesh
787:Liu, Siyuan (5 February 2016).
556:Osnes, Beth (10 January 2014).
415:and the ten-headed demon king
1:
681:Glimpses Into Telugu Folklore
651:The Complete Book of Puppetry
588:"Wayang | Indonesian theatre"
188:
954:
923:Cultural heritage of India
249:Politics of Andhra Pradesh
928:Tourism in Andhra Pradesh
913:Culture of Andhra Pradesh
295:Tourism in Andhra Pradesh
244:Culture of Andhra Pradesh
239:Economy of Andhra Pradesh
234:History of Andhra Pradesh
211:Culture of Andhra Pradesh
699:Sharma, Manorma (2004).
423:Current state of affairs
878:Asian Art & Culture
648:Currell, David (1974).
592:Encyclopedia Britannica
564:McFarland & Company
464:"Puppet Forms of India"
411:figures of the warrior
280:Music of Andhra Pradesh
205:Part of a series on the
654:. Pitman. p. 25.
40:
678:RÄmarÄju, Bi (1991).
494:. pp. 152, 335.
184:Ranganatha Ramayanamu
177:, has its origins in
24:
821:The Culture of India
484:Osnes, Beth (2001).
849:Rubin, Don (2001).
370:Musical instruments
89:Indian subcontinent
397:Puppets and cinema
257:People and culture
41:
918:Puppetry in India
862:978-0-415-26087-9
835:978-1-61530-149-2
804:978-1-317-27885-6
729:Autiero, Serena.
712:978-81-7574-140-9
661:978-0-273-36118-3
573:978-0-7864-5792-2
538:978-81-260-1194-0
501:978-0-87436-795-9
439:Togalu gombeyaata
391:Satyabhamakalapam
336:
335:
290:Telugu literature
143:Satavahana period
122:puppet/doll" and
945:
892:
891:
873:
867:
866:
846:
840:
839:
815:
809:
808:
784:
775:
774:
772:
770:
759:"Andhra Pradesh"
755:
746:
737:
736:
726:
720:
719:
696:
690:
689:
675:
669:
668:
645:
636:
635:
630:
628:
617:
606:
605:
600:
598:
584:
578:
577:
553:
547:
546:
519:
506:
505:
481:
472:
471:
460:
328:
321:
314:
221:
202:
198:Tholu Bommalaata
193:
190:
953:
952:
948:
947:
946:
944:
943:
942:
898:
897:
896:
895:
888:
875:
874:
870:
863:
848:
847:
843:
836:
828:. p. 290.
817:
816:
812:
805:
786:
785:
778:
768:
766:
765:on 3 March 2016
757:
756:
749:
740:
728:
727:
723:
713:
698:
697:
693:
677:
676:
672:
662:
647:
646:
639:
626:
624:
619:
618:
609:
596:
594:
586:
585:
581:
574:
555:
554:
550:
539:
521:
520:
509:
502:
483:
482:
475:
470:on 15 May 2013.
462:
461:
454:
449:
434:
425:
408:
399:
387:tholu bommalata
372:
332:
270:Telugu language
200:
191:
179:Tholu bommalata
139:
112:Tholu bommalata
109:
66:Tholu bommalata
45:Tholu bommalata
34:Tholu bommalata
17:
12:
11:
5:
951:
949:
941:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
900:
899:
894:
893:
886:
868:
861:
841:
834:
810:
803:
776:
747:
738:
721:
711:
691:
670:
660:
637:
607:
579:
572:
566:. p. 27.
548:
537:
523:Datta, Amaresh
507:
500:
473:
451:
450:
448:
445:
444:
443:
433:
430:
424:
421:
407:
404:
398:
395:
371:
368:
334:
333:
331:
330:
323:
316:
308:
305:
304:
303:
302:
297:
292:
287:
282:
277:
275:Andhra cuisine
272:
267:
259:
258:
254:
253:
252:
251:
246:
241:
236:
228:
227:
223:
222:
214:
213:
207:
206:
199:
196:
192: 1300 CE
138:
135:
131:Tolpava Koothu
108:
105:
54:Andhra Pradesh
38:Andhra Pradesh
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
950:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
905:
903:
889:
887:9780195088694
883:
879:
872:
869:
864:
858:
854:
853:
845:
842:
837:
831:
827:
823:
822:
814:
811:
806:
800:
796:
792:
791:
783:
781:
777:
764:
760:
754:
752:
748:
745:
743:
739:
734:
733:
725:
722:
718:
714:
708:
704:
703:
695:
692:
688:
683:
682:
674:
671:
667:
663:
657:
653:
652:
644:
642:
638:
634:
623:
616:
614:
612:
608:
604:
593:
589:
583:
580:
575:
569:
565:
561:
560:
552:
549:
545:
540:
534:
530:
529:
524:
518:
516:
514:
512:
508:
503:
497:
493:
489:
488:
480:
478:
474:
469:
465:
459:
457:
453:
446:
441:
440:
436:
435:
431:
429:
422:
420:
418:
414:
406:Puppet making
405:
403:
396:
394:
392:
388:
383:
381:
377:
369:
367:
365:
361:
357:
352:
348:
344:
340:
329:
324:
322:
317:
315:
310:
309:
307:
306:
301:
300:Telugu cinema
298:
296:
293:
291:
288:
286:
283:
281:
278:
276:
273:
271:
268:
266:
265:Telugu people
263:
262:
261:
260:
255:
250:
247:
245:
242:
240:
237:
235:
232:
231:
230:
229:
224:
220:
216:
215:
212:
208:
204:
203:
197:
195:
186:
185:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
136:
134:
132:
127:
125:
121:
118:â "leather",
117:
113:
106:
104:
102:
101:
96:
95:
90:
86:
81:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
50:shadow puppet
47:
46:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
908:Anthropology
877:
871:
851:
844:
820:
813:
789:
767:. Retrieved
763:the original
731:
724:
716:
701:
694:
685:
680:
673:
665:
650:
632:
625:. Retrieved
602:
595:. Retrieved
591:
582:
558:
551:
542:
527:
486:
468:the original
437:
426:
409:
400:
390:
386:
384:
373:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
182:
178:
140:
128:
123:
119:
115:
111:
110:
98:
92:
82:
65:
44:
43:
42:
33:
18:
938:Shadow play
100:Mahabharata
85:Hindu epics
902:Categories
447:References
795:Routledge
380:mrudangam
376:harmonium
358:and even
147:Indonesia
120:bomma â "
107:Etymology
769:30 April
525:(1988).
492:ABC-Clio
432:See also
360:Sanskrit
159:Thailand
155:Malaysia
151:Cambodia
94:Ramayana
687:Andhra.
627:3 April
597:3 April
226:History
137:History
48:is the
26:Hanuman
884:
859:
832:
801:
709:
658:
570:
535:
498:
417:Ravana
356:Telugu
171:UNESCO
167:Wayang
74:UNESCO
70:Wayang
30:Ravana
413:Bhima
364:arias
163:Burma
116:tholu
58:India
882:ISBN
857:ISBN
830:ISBN
799:ISBN
771:2013
707:ISBN
656:ISBN
629:2023
599:2023
568:ISBN
533:ISBN
496:ISBN
124:aata
97:and
28:and
194:).
173:as
76:as
62:BCE
56:in
32:in
904::
824:.
797:.
793:.
779:^
750:^
741:^
715:.
664:.
640:^
631:.
610:^
601:.
590:.
562:.
541:.
510:^
490:.
476:^
455:^
189:c.
165:.
161:,
157:,
153:,
149:,
103:.
80:.
890:.
865:.
838:.
807:.
773:.
735:.
576:.
504:.
327:e
320:t
313:v
187:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
