THOLU
BOMMALATA - ART AND CULTURE
News:
‘Tholu Bommalata’ loses sheen
What's
in the news?
●
‘Tholu
Bommalata’, the shadow puppet theatre
tradition, has lost lustre with only a handful of families fighting against
odds to nurture the art-form practised by their ancestors for centuries, in the
wake of the western cultural onslaught.
Key
takeaways:
●
This
ancient folk art was very popular in the district for centuries before radio,
movies, and television replaced them.
Tholu
Bommalata:
●
It
is a form of shadow puppetry unique to Andhra
Pradesh and Telangana in India, known for life-sized, vibrant leather
puppets.
Features:
●
It
showcases episodes from epics like Ramayana
and Mahabharata, enriched by diverse narratives and songs.
Location:
●
Predominantly
practiced by the Aare Kapu community,
this art form is centered in districts like Anantapur, Guntur, and Nellore.
Historical
Roots:
●
Dating
back to the third or fourth century CE, its earliest mention appears in the 13th-century Telugu text, Panditaradhya
Charitra.
●
Inscriptions
from 1208 CE also reference it, indicating its historical significance in
southern India. The Pallava, Chalukya, and Vijayanagara empires were notable
patrons.
Puppeteers
and Craft:
●
Traditionally
a hereditary craft, practitioners
often align with the Chitrakar caste.
●
Puppeteers
are also the craftsmen, with troupes usually comprising family members.
●
The
lead puppeteer, supported by others, engages in singing, narrating, and
performing.
Puppet
Design:
●
The
puppets, made from animal hides like
goat, deer, or buffalo, range between 1 to 2 meters in height.
●
They
are meticulously crafted, with articulated joints for movement and painted on both sides for visual effect. Iconographic
conventions guide their color and design.
Performance
and Screening:
●
Performed
behind a large white screen, the
action unfolds with the help of a light source casting silhouettes and colored
shadows.
●
Traditional oil lamps have been replaced by modern
lighting.
●
The
narratives are often drawn from various epic versions, featuring comedic
interludes and character-specific entry directions.
Music:
●
Integral
to the performance, music includes instruments like muddalam, mridangam, and shankha.
Decline:
●
Despite
its rich history, tholu bommalata has declined since the 1970s, with many
practitioners shifting to other professions.
●
Efforts
like the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008 have been made to revive it,
yet challenges persist.