10-Dec-2017: Tholu Bommalata on the verge of extinction

Tholu Bommalata, the traditional puppetry art form of Andhra Pradesh, has lost its sheen. Now, there are only a few artisans to carry forward the art. Years ago, the art was active in the four districts of Rayalaseema, especially in the border villages of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. However currently, there are only 6-8 troops left in all those areas that are still taking up the leather puppetry as the prime livelihood.

Artists are not finding any income with this art. Children of present generation are not showing any interest as there is no income in this profession. Artists say, even today, they have to go around houses for food grains after completing a night skit.

Artists travel around various villages and perform various skits with leather puppets but still they don’t get enough to make a living. Even government programmes doesn’t pay sufficiently for their livelihood. The government should come forward, and introduce the art and train it professionally in all music colleges across the state.

Most shadow puppeteers are originally from Maharashtra, who settled in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka over the centuries. Today, as puppeteer families are on the verge of extinction, we need to zero in on people with a passion for puppets and train them. Empowering youngsters to take puppetry forward, and have training organisations to hold regular story-telling puppet sessions as part of school curriculum would solve the urban disconnect we are witnessing. As of now, the Department of Culture is giving artist pensions worth 12,000-20,000 per month across the state.