Master Of Puppets – Kathputli With Papu Bhat

Native to Rajasthan and one of the most popular forms of Indian puppetry, Kathputli is more than a thousand years old. From the royal city of Jaipur, Papu Bhat, the successor of the Putli Bhat community will be your curator and he will immerse you in the world of Kathputli(s) brimming with colors and traditions. 

Also known as Putul in Bengal, Kathputli is an amalgamation of two words: Kath meaning wood and Putli meaning a doll with no life. Unique in its own way, the Rajasthani string puppeteers carve gorgeous and colorful puppets using wood and cloth. 

Did you know? The biggest puppet animation film ever made was “The New Gulliver” in 1935 and it required 1,500 handmade puppets!

Kathputli musical plays also portray the rich lives of kings and queens, sing folk ballads of Rajasthan and draw attention to the social problems like dowry system, women disempowerment, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, and cleanliness as well as provide the solutions. 

Discover the puppetry hub at Papu Bhat’s studio and gain hands-on-experience in the step-by-step, intricate process of puppet making. Take home regalia of Rajasthan in the form of handcrafted puppets. 

EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

• Be enveloped in the history and culture of the Kathputli tradition 
• One-on-one conversations with the generation artist
• Discover the process of Kathputli making in 6 steps - making of the face, finishing, coloring, stitching, adorning, and attaching stitches
• Make puppets dance through the control of strings
• Time travel to the time and world of Maharajas and Maharanis
• Be environmentally forward with sustainable materials and practices incorporated by the artist
• Be assisted by Rajasthan Studio tea
• Small Group Sizes
• Sanitised Studio