This document provides information about traditional puppet theatre forms in Kerala, India, including Pavakathakali glove puppetry. It describes the history and evolution of puppet theatre in the region. The puppets used in Pavakathakali are made of wood and cloth and stand one to two feet tall. The art form was created to teach children about Kathakali theatre in a condensed form lasting one to two hours. It does not have a dedicated stage and uses the same musical instruments as Kathakali. The document outlines a Pavakathakali performance depicting the defeat of Duryodhana by Bhima that was observed and documented.

1. Performance and Storytelling in
Traditional Puppet Theatre
Documentation by
Jithesh.R
Guided by
Prof. Shilpa Ranade

2. Some traditional puppetry theatre forms of Kerala
Pavakathakali – Glove Puppetry
Tolpava Koothu – Shadow Puppetry
Noolpava Koothu – String Puppetry

3. Pavakathakali – Glove Puppetry
Pavakathakali is believed to have taken form in the eighteenth
century.
Kathakali seemed to have influenced the puppet theatre which
was already prevalent in regions like Palghat District.

4. Puppet evolution
Puppet theatre was prevalent long before Kathakali took
form in Kerala.
It is believed that before Pavakathakali took form,
puppets were even sculpted resembling Buddha.

5. Puppets
The puppets are one feet to two feet tall.
Head and arms carved out of wood and joined together
with thick cloth cut and stitched into a small bag.

6. About Pavakathakali…
Pavakathakali was a smaller version targeted at kids to inculcate a
passion for Kathakali, the duration of these plays were just 1hr to
2 hrs unlike Kathakali which used to go on for the entire night.

7. About Pavakathakali
Pavakathakali does not have any specially built stage for hosting
it.
The musical instruments are the same as Kathakali
Chenda, Chilanka, Ilathalam, Shankh

8. About Pavakathakali Artists
A Pavakathakali artist are called Andi Pandaram, their mother
tongue is telugu which suggest their ancestors are from Andra
Pradesh, h
P d h who settled in Palghat centuries ago.
ttl d i P l h t ti
The artists are great devotees of Lord Subramanian

9. International Exposure ...
Replicas of the puppets at the Tropenmuseum (Anthropological
museum of the Royal Tropical Institute) in Amsterdam, The
Netherlands

10. Recent revival efforts
The art form has also attained much international and national
acclaim under the revival efforts of Shri. G.Venu (Natana Kairali).

11. Recent revival efforts
R.C Ramakrishnan, R.V. Ramakrishnan, G.Ravi and K.C
Thankappan are the puppeteers who were helpful in
conducting the Puppet show.

12. Major Stories Narrated through Pavakathakali
Kalyana Saugandhikam
Uttara Svayamvaram
Duryodhana Vadham
Dakshayagam

13. About the show …
The show which was documented was Duryodhana Vadham

14. The story…
The story is about the defeat of Duryodhana and Dussasana by the hands of Bhima.

15. Characters in the play

16. Dussasana

17. Duryodhana

18. Panchali

19. Krishna

20. Krishna in divine form

21. Raudra Bhima

22. Spirits

23. Outline of the play…

24. The show starts with a prayer to Lord Murugan

25. Dussasana is introduced with his point of view…

26. About the victory in the game of dice…

27. Duryodhana and Dussasana discuss about the exile of the Pandavas

28. Dussasana asks Duryodhana to drag Panchali to the courtroom

29. Duryodhana starts to shame Panchali by trying to strip her naked

32. After the exile time Krishna meets Panchali…

33. Krishna meets Dussasana and Duryodhana to discuss about the wants of the Pandavas

34. Krishna is treated badly by Duryodhana and Dussasana

35. Duel between Bhima and Duryodhana

37. Bhima attains special powers after praying to Lord Krishna

41. Duryodhana is killed and his organs are pulled out

44. Panchali’s loose hair is tied with the blood drenched hands by Bhima

45. The Play

46. …Thank you