Whoever, in India, has not seen Rajasthani puppeteers wearing colourful costumes who make their Kath Putlis dance and execute actions right in front of the band of fascinated children (and adults)? Indeed, Puppetry is one of the most ancient skilled art forms in this land and virtually exists in all states. The puppets are animated objects that perform like characters in theatre and often much more. Especially for children, it is willing suspension of disbelief and thereafter huge enjoyment of the antics and frolics of the puppets performing and enacting stories right before their eyes. In fact, all puppets enact stories, even if in rudimentary forms at times. Myths and legends come alive in the stories narrated here. Animals perform likeable characters. Flowers and plants converse. Folk tales re-create their milieu. Fairies float in ant out. Superstitions are taken by the horns in moral tales. Toothbrushes and combs traipse through strange tricks. Ghosts just come alive and have great fun. And aliens descend to earth to share secrets with kids. And it is primarily the kids (and adults who hold their belief in kids!) who are most likely to have a rollicking time with animated puppets. This book tells that there are many more puppets than only the Rajasthani Kath Putlis and they can do myriad things that are written about in these pages. So, Go Ahead and Have Fun!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sampa Ghosh
Sampa Ghosh joined Calcutta Puppet Theatre (CPT) under Suresh Dutta in 1980. She received scholarship for Young workers in Different Cultural fields from Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for puppetry in 1982-85 and participated in more than 2000 shows all over India and Bangladesh as a member of CPT up to 1986. She worked at SRC Puppet Repertory as its Director in 1986-87 and directed four puppet plays, which proved very popular. She participated in Indian Manifestation Festival in Sweden in 1987 as the group leader, performing 42 shows all over Sweden. She conducted many puppet workshops in India and Canada especially for children and teachers. She directed two children productions and gave a lecture demonstration on Indian puppets to international group of puppeteers under the aegis of Kala Bharati and Quebee Puppeteers Association of Canada in Montreal in 1995. As an outstanding artist, she received Senior Fellowship from Government of India in 2001-03 for creating a website portal on Indian Pupperty. Her recent monograph on Make Your Own Puppets has been highly applauded.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Utpal K Banerjee
Dr. Utpal K. Banerjee's career is both varied and prolific. He has been an adviser on management and information technology for over thirty years and has an abiding interest in Indian art and culture. In 1998, he was sent by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to lecture on art and culture in South America. Earlier lectures included those given in Canada and the USA in 1990 and 1995 when he was invited by ICCR and Kalabharati Foundation of Canada. His comprehensive book, Indian Performing Arts, has gone into several editions and another, Begali Theatre: 200 Years, has been published by the Publications Division, Government of India. His most recent works include Indian Performing Arts: A Mosaic and Indian Puppets. Dr. Banerjee's formal introduction to the visual and performing arts of the world came through several courses that he attended at the Extra-Mural department, University of Manchester, UK in 1969-72. He was National Project Director for the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) for a UNDP project on 'Multimedia Database for Art and Culture Documentation and Computerisation'. His articles appear regularly in India Perspective, Indian Horizons and The Pioneer. He has contributed to countless cultural programmes on the BBC, All Indian Radio and Doordarshan.
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