A city-based engineer-turned-puppeteer preserves and promotes the ancient art form of puppeteering.
Story so far: Folk art forms and practices that pass down generationally rather than through commercial links are inevitably vulnerable in contemporary economies. The city’s Dhaatu Puppet Theatre is setting an example of the preservation of ancient techniques of puppetry.
- Dhaatu has weekend classes, an art installation in the Bangalore Airport, and an annual event where domestic and global puppeteers assemble in Bengaluru to exchange views.
- Recently, the organisation arranged a puppet musical at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Their Vijayadasami special is a cocktail of music, hand-crafted puppeteering, and theatre.
About the founder: Anupama Hosakere founded the Dhaatu Puppet Theatre. She studied electrical engineering and communication networks. Her family was traditionally inclined, and her interests in storytelling and Indian festivals set the stage for a career in heritage preservation and promotion.
(Image credits: Dhaatu Puppet Theater’s YouTube video)