India was never known to the world at large for it’s polity or economy, it was known for it’s vibrant culture. What unites us, “the Indians”, is the purity of our culture. Akhyan: a celebration of masks, puppet and picture showmen traditions of India, unites the diverse culture of India.
The festival verbalizes the ancient as well contemporary notions of Indian art. Akhyan gives narrative expression through masks, puppets and picture scroll about the socio-cultural, relgious and historical curves in the most artistic manner.
The thirty day festival Organized in the grounds of IGNCA (Indira Gandhi Centre for the Arts) near the time of Diwali and Id, gives a chance to pay money for our appetites and loads of innovative and unique stuff for our homes and for our personal self as well. Ranging from sarees, suits, ethnic wear, home furnishing stuff to music, dance and other traditional forms of entertainment like CHAPRAKATUU from Tamil Nadu, Akhyan has something to offer everyone. It involves 500 Indian artists and Indian narratives.
DHOLA-MAARU: Puppet storytelling
Puppetry is the most loved art form since childhood. It’s origin dates back to Brahma ( a deity in Hindu mythology who has created the universe). Puppetry is intricate and innovative in it’s style.
The performers use Kathputlis, generally upto 60 centimeters tall which have trunks, heads and headgear carved mainly from mango wood and have large stylized, painted eyes. The bodies of the puppets are made of cloth and stuffed rag. They are colourfully dressed.
Kathputli ka khel from Rajasthan was one it’s kind. The director of Kathputli ka khel is Puran Bhat who is also a National Awardee and travels round the globe to teach this art.The community of nats or bhats illustrate stories on the legends of Rajasthan through puppet shows.
One such puppet performance was “Dhola-Maaru.” It’s a triangle love story of a prince from Rajasthan named Dhola, who marries Maaru, a princess from Rajasthan, in childhood. As they never saw each and never lived together, Dhola forgets about his marriage in his young age. A witch falls in love with the prince Dhola and to attract the prince she disguises herself as a young and beautiful lady, with the help of black magic. Dhola gets attracted towards the witch and he completely forgets his wife Maaru. Disheartened Maaru sends a parrot to Dhola to convey her message of love and marriage, but the witch interrupts.
Dhola tries her best to get back her husband and so she sends a puppeteer to the palace of prince Dhola, where the puppeteer performs a puppet show infront of Dhola to resonate back the true story of Dhola-Maaru and the witch. And like every good fairy tale, Dhola-Maaru’s saga ends well.
The Akshay Bhat one of the puppeteers also put across a minor complaint about the mainstream media and technological advancement, which is keeping people behind the doors and not encouraging people to be a part of the celebration.
It’s true indeed that we have confined our worlds to social networking, mall culture or cafeterias but after visiting Akhyan, it will come across to people with even slight sensitivity towards culture and ethics, that not always mainstream entertainment like bollywood, is the real show.
What we are leaving behind is valuable and expensive. Though the works and artifacts aren’t easy to afford but they are worth keeping passion for. Till then you can always visit such festivals and atleast give urself a treat of Hyderabadi biryani or Rajasthani Pao bhaji.
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