THE CRAFT OF LEATHER PUPPETRY

Leather shadow puppetry of Andhra Pradesh locally known as Tholu Bommalata, (Tholu – leather,

Bommalata – puppet dance) is one of the oldest form of performing arts. The leather puppets, because

of their transparency and jewel like glow, are very popular.

In the dark of the night, loud beats of the drum and cries of the war horn fill the sweltering air, while

glowing kings and demons fight across the flickering light. As early as the 12th century, the art of

puppetry flourished in Andhra Pradesh, narrating stories of divinity, sometimes taking the divine

dimensions itself. Stories from the great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata were performed and went

on for several nights. The puppet shows had something for everyone – divine epics for the devout; and

comic relief for the distracted. Puppetry is still practiced today, especially during festivals, although not

many puppeteers practice this art nowadays.

The leather puppet, which was traditionally crafted from deer skin, is made from goat hide now. After a

two week long process of cleaning, the skin becomes translucent and ready to work on. As with most

crafts, in the painting of leather too, chemical colors are replacing natural ones. But apart from the

translucency and vivid colors, what gives these puppets their brilliance, is the perforated pattern on

the puppets. Today, with design intervention, the puppeteers have diversified into different products

using the same craft; as puppet shows are not a mainstream medium of entertainment anymore. The

transparency and durability of the material makes it perfect for lampshades and screens, filling life in

dull surroundings.

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