All the world’s a stage, and God is the ultimate puppeteer. This is the Vedanta teaching we in India, abide by, at large. Of course, this thought is reflected in almost every religious culture of any civilization over the world. Perhaps, this thought originated from the Puppet shows which we were so accustomed to before technology took us over. Especially someone who hails from South Indian states, like me, have a fond memory to look back to when we heard the word, Puppet Show. The culture of Puppets defined our lifestyle, as it was perhaps the only way of reciting our folklore for ages to come. However, as with many beautiful things, at the turn of the century, Puppet shows, slowly became an obsolete form of entertainment. Bommalollu is an eloquent documentary which tries to look at the slowly fading culture of Puppet shows, and the lives of Puppeteers.
Bommalollu, (Telugu for Puppeteers), serves as an ode to the glorious culture of storytelling. It reminds that art is timeless, but the lives and the hands that move the strings, do age. Chekka Bommalata, literally meaning Wooden Puppets’ Show, is a form of wooden-string puppetry tradition from the state of Telangana in India. It is one of the rare folk art forms of India that uses life-size puppets made of wood. These puppets are about hundred years old and stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other local legends are performed through this art form. The puppeteers who perform are known as ‘Bommalollu’.
This art form is practiced by families belonging to the Beda Budiga Jangama caste who are at the bottom of the social order of caste hierarchy. Currently, there are two troupes that are active – one troupe is in Ammapuram village and the other is Venkatapuram village. Both these villages belong to Warangal district in the state of Telangana and both the troupes belong to the same family of Mothe’s.
Today the average age of these puppeteers is 60. With the younger generation not taking interest in the practice of the art form due to various socio-economic reasons, Chekka Bommalata is again at the brink of extinction. Tracing these ups and downs, following Mothe Jagannadam’s troupe in Ammapuram, the film tries to explore the hope in the artists, who, despite all odds seem to be fighting the battle to keep it alive – at least by choosing to perform until they die.
With such a vibrant art, we have the responsibility to at least have a responsibility to learn and preserve Bommalollu. The documentary will showcased at Hyderabad and Bengaluru soon. Be sure to attend the screening and be transported to the world long forgotten.
https://youtu.be/hMofddEJroE
( Material And Source From Bommalollu Summaries )
