Breathing life into a tradition

Using 40 hand-carved puppets, each around two feet tall and elaborately dressed in colourful period costumes, the 20 member team consisting of nine players and 11 sound and light technicians brought the enchanting tale of King Harishchandra to life. “We want to revive traditional Indian wisdom and values which are being lost in the present day society. This is more so among urban families who are losing sight of the beliefs and traditions that their past generations were raised on,” says Anupama Hoskere, the convener of the puppet festival.

With plenty of music, song and dance bringing to life the figures on stage, the one-hour production narrated the story of the legendary king Harishchandra who ruled Ayodhya with wisdom and truthfulness.The music that accompanied the performance was lively and dramatic and beautifully blended folk, classical and contemporary elements.’

Tracing the story of the king, who battled the forces of evil in everyday life and yet kept true to his word against all odds, the show was entertaining and yet carried the message and morale of the story very effectively to the viewers.

“Every village in India has their own version of the life and times of Harishchandra and his wife Taramati. It is a collection of one of the most beloved Indian folk tales and has a strong message of truth and honesty, virtues that are not easy to come by in a competitive materialistic world,” she explains.

“We have adapted it to contemporary language and music in order to capture the interest and imagination of young people. Although with puppetry, language is hardly a barrier and the art form can be enjoyed by people of all ages. India is believed to be the traditional home of puppets, but we have not exploited its full potential,” she says.

The festival continues across the City covering different puppet art forms ranging from glove, shadow, string to rod and puppet dances.The festival promises to be an audio visual treat for all ages. Call 9886444593 for details on the fest schedule.