Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest |

Puppet on a string

Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

EXCLUSIVE It’s the result of untiring efforts to promote the native art of leather puppetry

Started almost five decades ago, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat - commonly known as CKP - has for long been an integral part of the city’s cultural landscape. In a sprawling and centrally located premises on Kumara Krupa road, it has a well-established college of fine arts, and several dedicated galleries which house permanent collections of renowned artists including Prof. Nicholas Roerich, Dr. Svetoslav Roerich, Dr. Krishna Reddy, and a host of contemporary Indian painters and sculptors. An exclusive gallery dedicated to Mysore traditional paintings (along with a multi-layered Gombe Totti with colourful dolls) and an expansive amphitheatre form part of the Parishath’s infrastructure. Additionally, there are four galleries which are offered to contemporary artists to exhibit their works for short periods.

With the opening of an exclusive gallery for leather puppets recently, the Parishath has added another feather to its cap. In the fitness of things, the new gallery dedicated for Leather Puppets is named after Prof. M.S. Nanjunda Rao (1932-2003) who had nursed a life-long passion for this special folk art. During his lifetime, Prof. Rao distinguished himself for his untiring efforts to promote the native art of leather puppetry in national and international forums.

“No one has served the cause of leather-puppets with an academic fervour and aesthetic relish as Sri Nanjunda Rao,” wrote Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao in his introduction to the book on Leather Puppetry published by CKP in 2000. “He has taken an enormous interest in this particular art form by developing contacts with the artistes of leather puppetry and also the authors of the episodes which they displayed. He collected studiously and painstakingly the available puppets, and has prevented successfully their loss over the years. His service to the cause is indeed memorable.”

The Leather Puppet Gallery houses about sixty works which have been selected out of hundreds of puppets collected from different parts of Karnataka (particularly Tumkur district) by CKP over four decades under Prof. Rao’s stewardship. Episodes of Ramayana and Mahabharata form the basis of these fascinating two dimensional works.

Arjuna leading Iravatha from Heaven to Earth (Tumkur / 32" / early 19th century), Sri Rama and Sita in a procession on elephant (Shimoga / 18" / early 19th century), Portrait of a Koravanji (Belgaum / 18" / early 19th century), An Illusory Palace (Bellary / 27" height, late 19th century), and King in Court (Bijapur / 30" / early 19th century) are among the many enthralling pieces which catch the viewer’s eye, thanks to their simple, but effective designs, and captivating originality.

The gallery also has several interesting pieces of string puppets (marionettes), musical instruments (used by puppeteers), and other related objects on display.

While one appreciates the Parishat’s efforts in putting up this special gallery, what remains a matter of concern is the poor visitor turnout. Plans to publicise the contents of various galleries among the local population as well as visitors from other cities need to be put in place urgently.

Leather Puppetry is a composite art; its history dates back to a thousand years. Prevalent not only in Karnataka but also in other parts of South India like Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa. Puppetry as a folk art reached its peak during Vijayanagar period – 13th to 15th century.

Leather puppetry is an involved craft which combines in itself the plastic arts of painting, sculpture and the visual forms of theatre. It also demands deft hands for expert manipulation.

The preparation of puppets is as skilful as the performance itself. The choice of the skin has its bearing on the character figure it is to represent. Mostly primary colours like red, bluish-green and black are used in the process of painting.

(Source: CKP)

GIRIDHAR KHASNIS

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail