Retrieved via the Wayback Machine. Originally posted by addytorials

“Look, Ma - Paheli!“, squeals a child.

Is this what our great tradition of puppetry has been reduced to? Another lost relic of our multi-hued past viewed in reference to pop-culture?

The little Rajasthani puppet stall on Rampart Row has been holding daily shows every evening on the hour at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. For the rest of the day, the puppets hang on to their mute existence from a wooden stick and watch so many people walking by. Rs. 150 for an example of fine Rajasthani craftsmanship. Rs. 150 for a re-incarnation of our magical, mystical culture. Rs. 150 for a pretty puppet. But who would want one? In an age of action figures (with new technological advancements in lucid limb movement, of course) and Barbie wannabes (with oh-so-cute themed and styled dresses), who would want these colourful little puppets?

The show begins. Dancing to a faint percussion and a shrill harmonic whistle is a lady in pink. She drops to the floor, does the shimmy and quite literally shakes her booty at the court of a wooden faced King and his equally wooden courtiers. Then follows the headless magician, the court jester, the snake charmer and the woman with two faces.

And, oh, look at the audience. A small crowd has gathered and is watched with rapt enjoyment. Children vie for a seat at the front row. And the laughter, the piping, shrill laughter of the children as the magician throws his head up in the air, the clown trips on himself, the snakes attack the charmer and the woman changes into another at the blink of an eye! For those few moments, the magic returns. The air hangs about you with an oppressive old world charm and you find yourself laughing along with the kids.

Then the show is suddenly over and the audience sighs in one voice. Some amble away to other venues. Some linger around to collect the remnants of that magical time they had been transported to.

And there is hope yet.

For the puppets dancing to the whimsical tunes of the great puppeteer above.

And for us.