Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | India Art & Culture
Why in News?
Families in Kathputli Nagar of Jaipur preserve Kathputli, one of Rajasthan’s oldest folk-art forms.
Puppet – A puppet is an inanimate or representational figure, animated or manipulated by a puppeteer.
Origin of puppetry – The origins of puppetry date back to the Indus Valley Civilisation around 2500 B.C., where archaeologists discovered a terracotta doll with a detachable head.
The earliest evidence of puppets has also been traced to Egypt, dating to around 2000 B.C.
Kathputli Nomenclature – The name Kathputli comes from kath (wood) and putli (doll). It is one of Rajasthan’s oldest folk-art forms.
It is a type of string puppet carved from wood and dressed in bright, colourful costumes.
Manufactured in– Kathputli Nagar in Jaipur’s ‘Pink City’.
Type -String puppetry (marionettes).
Themes -Folk tales, epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata), heroic ballads, social messages.
Cultural Significance – Performances are accompanied by dholak, harmonium, folk music, and narration.
Shows include humour, music, satire, and social reflection.
Kathputli performances continue to carry Rajasthan’s cultural identity across generations.
World Puppetry Day
World Puppetry Day is celebrated every year on 21 March as a tribute to the puppeteers.
The World Puppetry Day was first established in 2003 by the Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA).
