DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

The puppetry business, once lucrative, is now sobbing on the fringes. However, some artists are still trying hard to keep the art alive while making ends meet

The spiraling and dingy lanes of Katputli Colony, a slum cluster in New Delhi, are inhabited by nearly 12,000 artists—puppeteers, acrobats, magicians,

and singers to name a few. The dismal living conditions have failed to make a dent in the enthusiasm of these artists who work round the year to make ends meet. Perhaps passion is one string that connects them to entrepreneurship. Thirty-year-old Ramesh Bhat, a puppeteer, is one such artist who not only holds puppetry shows but also teaches the young lot to keep the art alive.

 

“We are traditional puppeteers and this art form has come down to us from our forefathers. I learnt this art from my father when I was just ten years old. Since then, I have been in this profession,” says Bhat. However, things are changing now. The demand for puppet shows is slowly dwindling in India due to the onset of media like TV, radio and cinema, he says. “Earlier, when we used to perform, people from the neighboring areas also used to come especially to watch our shows. Now, it is more of an amusement than entertainment and we survive by mostly holding shows at schools and haats.”

The Business
A colorful string puppet is an image that appears in our memory when we think of Rajasthan. Traditionally, these puppeteers were gypsy clans who used to move about in small groups performing shows. Today the case is different and so is their audience base. In India, artists such as Bhat have now been restricted to exhibitions and haats. He adds, “Now-a-days, people do not have time to watch puppet shows. It is mostly children who are attracted to our shows.” Hearing this, one cannot help but wonder how artists make their ends meet. When quizzed about his profession, he says, “I make a living by selling puppets at haats and exhibitions, holding shows and training people interested in learning more about this art form.”

Bhat and his four-member troupe produce and perform shows all by themselves, with little or no help from outside. There has been a drastic change in content of these shows as well. He says, “The government or the NGOs now mostly approach us to make content for spreading social awareness. We are associated with the government through some NGOs and work with them on a two-year contract basis. Whenever there is some outbreak of diseases or they have to spread messages on preventing AIDS, family planning, polio, sanitation, etc in villages, we help them through our shows.” But what about puppet shows based on folklores and stories of valiant heroes? He says, “We still do shows narrating the heroic tales of Amar Singh Rathore, Akbar Badshah, etc. but these shows happen maybe once or twice in a year.” And how much does he charge per show? He says, “It takes us at least four to five days to prepare for a show. We charge anywhere from Rs 2000 to 5000 for performing at private shows depending on the content.”

Now-a-days, people do not have the time to watch puppet shows. It is mostly children who are attracted to our shows. Ramesh Bhat Rajastani Puppeteer

Bhat also imparts training to people interested in learning the craft. According to him, it is mostly children who come to him to learn the art. He charges anywhere between Rs 8000 to Rs 9000 for such training sessions. Puppeteers like Ramesh also sell puppets at various exhibitions and trade shows. It takes almost one day to make a wooden puppet. He explains, “The puppet is made from a single piece of wood. The wood is hand carved in the shape of a face and then painted. The rest of the body is made of cloth and rags. Though the price depends upon a number of things, the average price of making a puppet is somewhere around Rs 100.” The price goes upwards depending on the intricacy of the work and the place of sale.

The Brighter Side
However, all is not so glum for these artists, who have been receiving attention from a different quarter. For example, Bhat has traveled to many countries abroad, where people have taken notice of his work. Ask him about his trips to foreign countries and he excitedly says, “I have been to a number of countries.” Counting on his finger tips, he says, “I have been to Dubai, France, South Africa, and three times to Russia for giving performances. The audience there is more captive and our work has been appreciated a lot.” Bhat, like other artists, has registered himself with the Indian Council of Cultural Research (ICCR) and submitted CDs of their performances to them. Based on that, the ICCR calls them for giving performances abroad on a rotational basis. Besides these, NGOs and industry associations also approach them for holding shows.

How much does he earn from these shows? He says, “We do not earn much as the payments mostly get delayed and is just enough to meet our expenses.”

Hearing this, one cannot help but wonder at the contrast his life presents. When on one hand, Bhat lives in a small one-room house, on the other, he is busy preparing for his next trip abroad next month. A major problem they face is that there are no fixed shows they do per month, therefore there is no fixed income. He explains, “It often happens that sometimes we do 10-15 shows in a month and sometimes there are no shows at all for long stretches.” Point taken.

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