The vanishing tribe of Andhra’s leather puppeteers Premium
The Hindu
Leather puppetry, an ancient art form, is on the brink of extinction in Madhavapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, due to a change in religious profile of the puppeteers. Only 60 performers remain, with 50% of the 300 families having adopted another faith. The performers recite Hindu mythological stories, making it difficult for those of other faiths to continue. COVID-19 has further reduced the number of shows, leaving many puppeteers begging on the streets. Women performers are few, with the oldest being 90. Digital media and lack of patronage have pushed the puppeteers into penury. Experiments to bring out decorative puppets have been made, but are yet to find success.
The ancient art form of leather puppetry is on the brink of extinction, even as the number of puppeteers residing on the banks of Buckingham Canal in Madhavapatnam gram panchayat near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, has dwindled owing to an unprecedented change in their religious profile.
These puppeteers, who migrated from Maharashtra, settled in Madhavapatnam panchayat in Godavari region, nearly 5 km from Kakinada city. In the 1980s, Telugu actress Jamuna helped them get house sites in the panchayat where at least 300 families currently reside. A majority of them embraced another faith and subsequently quit puppetry which is purely based on Hindu mythological stories.
“At present, nearly 60 performers are left in the field of puppetry, More than 50% of those 300 families have adopted another faith. As a consequence, scores of performers quit puppetry. The last remaining 60 performers have been formed into five troupes, each comprising at least three to five women,” says Thota Balakrishna, one of the leading performers in the Godavari region.
Nearly 100 more families have settled in Peddapuram, Karapa, Mandapeta and Konaseema in erstwhile East Godavari district. In the erstwhile West Godavari district, there are not less than 10 families but they lead a nomadic lifestyle.
“The performers are expected to recite tales extracted from Hindu mythological texts such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. Such a requisite might lead many who have embraced another faith to quit the field,” adds Mr.Balakrishna.
In Rajiv Nagar under Madhavapatnam panchayat, puppeteers in another settlement are facing a similar predicament.
“Our troupe has performed less than 10 shows since the COVID-19 restrictions were eased. How can any family that depends on puppetry survive? Many of us are literally begging on the streets as we are left with no option to earn a livelihood,” says 34-year-old puppeteer Anaparthi Raju, who sells used clothes on a two-wheeler.
Prarthana Prasad is a social media influencer, entrepreneur and a leading voice from the LGBTQ+ community. At a recent Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Conclave held in Bengaluru she opened up about how she is often a “token ticket” for the corporate world, increasingly contacted by brands for promotion during Pride Month.