Bringing back the nostalgia of watching puppet shows and reviving the near-extinct art of puppet theatre is the Dhaatu Puppet Santhe, which kicks off this weekend in Whitefield.
Watch a show, take a puppet home or make one yourself – this Santhe has it all! An ancient tradition that evolved over hundreds of years, puppet theatre has a subtle flavour of its own, said Anupama Hosakere, the woman behind Dhaatu. Anupama and her husband, Vidyashankar, also own the country’s largest puppet collection! “Puppetry is atleast a thousand years old and there are so many varieties of it,” she says. “As we progress, our society seems to lag in terms of knowing and preserving our roots. This show is a small attempt to say that,” she beams, adding, “We have about 5000 puppets at Dhaatu!”
Catch the matinee puppet theater, watch a Panchatantra story unfold or learn how to make puppets dance at the festival. “We have puppet shows lined up this year but visitors will also get to see how puppets are made, the different kinds that exist and the casting processs for each of them,” she says. “You can also make your own puppets and take them home.” Their Panchatantra show has been performed in Russia, Morocco and Paris.
Mrs Hosakere, who has been making puppets for more than one-and-a-half decades, believes that puppetry is an expansion of storytelling and not just wooden toys tied to a string. “Storytelling can get mundane. Often, it is a repetitive, unseen life that we describe only in words. Puppetry adds to the audience’s imagination – it’s like plunging into a multi-dimensional aesthetic, with colour and music bolstering the story line.”
Hand painted perfectly, right down to their eyelashes and dressed in tiny, colourful clothes, one thing is evident: Making puppets isn’t child’s play! These wooden puppets have to be made with the utmost precision and attention to detail. “Making wooden dolls takes a lot of designing and engineering. It can be quite a handful,” she admits, adding, “Carving puppets, picking our brains about creating new back drops and sometimes,” she laughs, “getting frustrated with the failures.” If the engineering goes even a little out of line, the entire show could fall apart.”
If you’re a first timer at a puppet show, you’ll grow to love it, assures Hosakere. “Don't worry. Come in and relax, you'll definitely find something you like. There's so much to pick from as long as you have an open mind.” The Santhe will be on this Saturday and Sunday at VR Bengaluru, Whitefield as a part of their anniversary celebrations.
What: Dhaatu Puppet Festival
When: June 10 and 11, 12 pm
Where: V.R. Bengaluru, 60/2, ITPL Road
