8 Indian places where traditional puppetry is still practiced

From Rajasthan’s colourful string puppets to Kerala’s temple shadow plays, these eight destinations keep the age-old art of puppet shows in India alive through local stories, music and skilled performers

Places in India where traditional puppetry keeps folk stories alive

Discover the regional traditions that make puppet shows in India a fascinating blend of storytelling, music and craftsmanship

Updated on:

24 Oct 2026, 4:57 pm

Puppetry is a form of theatre in which performers bring dolls, figures or silhouettes to life using strings, rods, their hands or light and shadow. In India, this art has deep historical roots, with references to puppet theatre in ancient literary traditions and the Natya Shastra, a Sanskrit text on performing arts. Over centuries, different regions developed their own styles, materials and storytelling techniques. Some puppets dance to folk music, while others recreate episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

8 places to experience traditional puppet shows in India:

Influenced by the region’s Jatra theatre, the shows combine dialogue, music and expressive movement

Nadia district, West Bengal, Putul Naach: It includes traditional rod-puppet performances in which large figures are moved with rods as performers present dramatic folk stories

The shows blend regional music and theatrical techniques, with stories often drawn from Hindu epics

Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, Bommalattam: It ombines strings and rods to control large, richly dressed puppets, allowing performers to create detailed movements and expressive gestures

Leather puppets appear behind a screen lit from the rear, while performers narrate episodes from the Ramayana

Palakkad, Kerala, Shadow Puppetry: Kerala’s Tholpavakoothu is traditionally performed at night in temple courtyards, especially during festivals dedicated to the goddess Bhadrakali

The puppets perform dramatic stories drawn from epics and folklore, with music and lively gestures

Mysuru and coastal Karnataka, Gombeyata: It is a string-puppet tradition known for elaborate costumes and figures influenced by the region’s Yakshagana theatre

The puppets’ movements, costumes and musical accompaniment distinguish this form from the state’s shadow-puppet theatre

Kundhei-Putul tradition, Odisha: Odisha is also home to Kundhei, a string-puppet tradition in which carved wooden figures are manipulated by strings to enact stories from mythology and local folklore

The performances draw on the Ramayana, particularly the Odia retelling Vichitra Ramayana

Raghurajpur, Odisha, Ravana Chhaya: Odisha’s Ravana Chhaya uses small, uncoloured leather puppets to cast striking silhouettes on a screen, giving the form its distinctive visual style

Performances often draw on the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, combining narration, music and expressive puppet movements

Nimmalakunta, Andhra Pradesh, Tholu Bommalata: It is a shadow-puppet tradition that uses large, translucent leather figures to create colourful images on a lit screen

Performers traditionally tell stories of Rajput heroes and local legends and social life

Jaipur, Rajasthan, Kathputli: Rajasthan’s Kathputli tradition features colourful wooden puppets dressed in bright costumes, controlled by strings and accompanied by folk music

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Shadow puppet