Tamil Nadu - Ramanathapuram   

It still has the power to hold the audience in its control

— Photo: L. Balachandar

Throwing light: Artistes performing puppetry in Ramanathapuram.

RAMANATHAPURAM: In an age of television related dramas, music extravaganza and talk shows, which make the people, particularly women, confine in their houses in the evening, puppetry (bommalattam) stands little chance of being noticed.

But, for those who gathered at Ramalinga Vilasam here to spend an evening with puppets on Ayutha Pooja day as part of Navarathiri celebrations, it was a welcome break from the hectic pace of life. It refreshed memories about a charming but neglected tradition of story telling. In fact it reminded the elders in the audience of the ancient art of puppetry and how it was used extensively through the length and breadth of the country. For the young people, it was an entertainment very different from what they were used to.

When the lights dimmed to begin the show, a few young people moved out of the arena apparently thinking that the show might not be so interesting. But the way in which S. Murugan, the main artiste of the show from Kumbakonam, ran the show, held the audience spellbound.

Though many aged knew the story, “Kandhan Kaviyam”, they enjoyed each and every aspect of wooden puppets narrating the tale by adding humorous bits from the day to day life of the people. They took the opportunity to deliver messages or advices that required to streamline the youngsters by giving punch dialogue every now and then.

At the same time, the artistes never failed to stick to the basics of puppet show, which was once used as a method to create awareness of freedom struggle also.

“We may not have that kind of audience or viewers for television or cinema halls, I can say that puppet show is still one of the powerful stage shows to entertain the people,” says Murugan (40), son of Sankaranathan, who was credited with Kalaimamani for the services rendered to the development of Bommalattam in Tamil Nadu.

He (Murugan) expressed concern that the response to Bommalattam had been diminishing gradually due to various factors including the advent of television era. He says many artistes have left the field looking for green pastures.

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