‘Tholu bommalatta’ artisans to present ‘Sundarakanda’ in Hyderabad

Join the Tholu bommalatta artisans in Hyderabad on March 15 for a captivating shadow puppetry session of Sundarakanda.

On March 15, the artisan group Shri Kumar Tiripaalu Brundam from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, will present stories from the Ramayana in Sundarakanda, a Tholu bommalatta (shadow leather puppetry) session at Aroma of Dakshin restaurant, Hyderabad. Organised by Brass Lotus and Tree Huggers Club, the presentation aims to encourage guests to engage with native crafts and storytelling.

This is the first of the many events that Chetna Naidu, founder of Brass Lotus, plans to host. Workshops on kalamkari block printing and Cheriyal mask painting are in the pipeline. An IT professional and an entrepreneur, she co-founded Brass Lotus with her mother, Sarada Naidu, in July 2025, curating crafts from across India for home decor.

The small storefront at Aroma of Dakshin, and online (brasslotus.in and @brasslotus on Instagram) stocks masks painted by artisans from Cheriyal, plates painted in pichwai and Cheriyal styles, wooden wall carvings from Chettinad, elephant and cow-shaped decor pieces painted in Patachitra style, and lampshades with shadow leather puppetry imagery.

Chetna wants these craftpieces to be conversation starters and hopes workshops and performances encourage deeper understanding of art forms.

Chetna with her mother Sarada Naidu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Growing up in Nagpur, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in a middle-class home, Chetna pursued MBA and additional courses, including a diploma in management from IIM, Kozhikode. “I began working during the first year of graduation to support my family. Taking up a full-fledged job after studies was the most natural thing to do”, she says, having watched her mother, a teacher, handle home and financial responsibilities with grace after her father’s passing when she was just seven.