A glimpse of Rajasthan’s colours, music and exuberance

Coming from a  generation that grew up watching 'Dexter's Laboratory,' 'SpongeBob Squarepants' and 'The Powerpuff Girls' on TV, our only exposure to puppetry was through our grandparents' stories about the heydays of puppeteering. 

They were probably the last generation to witness puppetry in all its glory: one of the most primitive forms of storytelling in any culture.

Kudos to Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) and Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre for jointly organising 'Kathputli, Dances and Puppets of Rajasthan' and giving my generation's adults a glimpse of puppetry. 

It was in the backyard of AFD, La Veranda, where I'd recently watched my first puppet show. The thrill of experiencing puppetry for the first time, that too in my early thirties, was what drew me to this two- day event at the National Music and Dance Auditorium, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Sponsored by Qatar Airways, the show was produced by Théâtre en Tête and directed by Zazie Hayoun. The performers were Sikandar Khan, Ishwar Mathur, Sushila, Vijay Bhatt, and Puran Bhat, all from distant Rajasthan. 

'Kathputli, Dances and Puppets of Rajasthan' combined two art forms: dance and puppetry. Throughout the performance, a dancer appeared and took the stage by storm at regular intervals. Her rhythm and flow, coupled with the bedazzling colours of Rajasthan saturating every inch of the multiple dresses she donned, was an experience to behold.

"You will see that there are two parts in this programme. One part is in a small village, about the normal life in a small village and the second part is in the Akbar palace. There is no message here, it's just to make you happy," said François Grosjean, AFD Director. 

Kathputli, Dances and Puppets of Rajasthan. Photo: Courtesy

The first part of the story takes place in a small village in north India. Many daily life activities are presented through picturesque backdrops and interesting characters: a betel merchant, a barber, a shoemaker, an ironer, a water carrier, kiting, lovers and whatnot.

None of this is unfamiliar to our Bangali culture but Rajasthan's flamboyant streak in doing everything and anything, showed how rich and powerful cultural diversity can be, even through puppetry.

The show began with 'Khaike Paan Banaras Wala' a very popular Hindi song which you may have heard in Shah Rukh Khan's 2006 blockbuster  'Don.' The song was performed in a very thick Rajasthani accent, as the puppet 'Paanwala' prepared betel leaves for customers. 

The exuberant musicality soon reached a fever pitch. By then it was just about living in the moment looking at the stage that had more colours than a rainbow. The dancer's performances were contagious! 

Photo: Courtesy

The curtain soon slided to end Act 1. Act 2 was in none other than the Mughal Badshah Akbar's palace – apparently, he loved puppets too. All the Maharajas in his empire are invited to his palace for performances from a diverse group of entertainers - a snake charmer, dancers who perform an elaborate choreography, a magician who juggles with his head, an elephant tamer and many more.

All the dialogues were a mix of Hindi, the Rajasthani dialect, English and French. The linguistic and cultural barrier that evening, simply lifted. Some of the kids present at the show literally mimicked the puppets' speeches, word-for-word, without comprehending a word of it, but that's okay for as long as they were enjoying themselves. 

"Okay but how are the kids understanding any of it?" laughingly questioned an aged spectator, probably tripping down memory lane about when he enjoyed puppetry regularly in his childhood. 

"Can you imagine the dexterity the puppeteers must possess in order to make figures dance that well on strings alone?" my accompanying friend asked me and the only answer I had was an agreeable nod. Everyone left the hall smiling. 

The troupe is on a world tour with their puppets. After Dhaka, they will be enchanting spectators in Paris and two other major French cities for three days straight.