Our quest of exploring the lesser known art forms takes us next, to the villages of South India, where we find this entrancing performing arts form. Bommalattam, first known to originate in Tamil Nadu, remains one of the oldest dance forms in the country, tracing back as early as the 10th century.
Now this dance form too conveys religious and ethical stories, for the natives in the villages, but that is where the similarities to other dance forms in this blog end! For, Bommalattam uses colourful puppets made of wood, string or even leather to convey its story in an entertaining and often hilarious narrative. A troupe often consists of 5-8 members with the entire puppetry act performed by a single, experienced puppeteer. They narrate the traditional legends and myths such as Valli Kalyanam (Valli’s marriage), Harichandra, Lava Kusa, Nallatangal Kathai and Markadeyan Kathai. During the freedom struggle, a variation used to be performed to promote nationalism as well. The dance is performed on festivals, in ceremonies and even during religious celebrations, where performances in the temples often last 10 days, continuing overnight.
If one were to look closely, they would find two main traditional forms- Bommalattam (i.e. string puppets) and Thol Bommalattam ( i.e. shadow puppet). The puppets here are unique and varying in size, weighing upto 10kg and standing 4.5ft tall in height, making them by far, the most eye-catching versions in puppetry.
This lively means of conveying important social messages has remained such a success till date that a modern version of this art form is still found in the country. The only difference is now the troupe often spreads awareness on various issues like AIDS or even family planning.
Modern version:
-Arka Gohil
0 Comments