The first play was of thirty two puppets which portrayed the life and accomplishments of Vikramaditya. His throne was chiselled with thirty two beautiful dolls. According to a legend, Raja Vikramaditya of Ujjain was frightfully fond of puppets. It is the most vibrant part of Rajasthani folk culture and legacy. Regionally called Kathputli, where kaath implies wood and putli imply a doll accordingly giving it the name of a wooden puppet. The subject of puppet is not new to the world, but it is rather thousands years old. The shows, usually lasting one hour, are enjoyed by people belonging to all the age groups. The narration is accompanied with appropriate songs and beats on the drums that are in perfect harmony with the movements of the puppets. The plays are usually narrated by the female members of the troupe. One of the most popular themes is that of the dialogues of Amar Singh Rathore of Nagaur. Each of the puppet shows of Rajasthan has a theme different from the other. Throughout the show, there is hooting and whistling by the puppeteers. Loud beats on the dholak (a kind of drum) announce the starting of the puppet show. He moves the jointed limbs of the puppets with the help of strings attached to each of them. The cots are covered with sheets in order to conceal the puppeteer from the view of the public. The puppeteer tacks his puppets over a rope joined to the upper legs of the cots. A miniature stage is set up with the help of a cot that is laid by length. These puppets are attached with strings that the puppeteer uses to move them around. In the puppet shows of Rajasthan there are a number of wooden dummy dolls that are dressed up in bright and color attires. Also known by the name of the вЂњkathputliwalasвЂќ, they usually perform the puppet shows during the late evenings.

Though they belong, originally, to the Nagaur area in the Marwar region, they travel all through the countryside to exhibit their skills. Known as the Bhats, these people have been associated with Rajasthani string puppetry to carry forward their traditional occupation.

The art of puppetry is practiced by a community of agricultural laborers of Rajasthan. These are one of the popular sources of entertainment in the state.

Types of puppetry