Chasing the Shadows - a UNIMA India Project

UNIMA India is organizing a 15 day Puppet Tour of the Shadow Puppetry Traditions in South India early next year. (Jan 28th /Feb  10th 2024)These are tentative dates- subject to change.

The Shadow Puppetry Traditions of Southern India go back hundreds of years.

The continuity of these traditions has been ensured by a community of Puppet families, the local temples and the rural communities for which the organic context remains unbroken.

It is a rare opportunity to be hosted by Master Puppeteers, to watch them work, engage with their community and watch them perform.

You will get to experience first-hand, the dynamism of the form as well as the emerging challenges Traditional performers face today in the fast-changing world.

You will learn about traditional materials, and under the guidance of the Master learn to make a leather shadow puppet with these natural materials. You will experience the process from purchasing and cleaning the leather to giving it the form, and painting it.

There will be live translation made by Anurupa Roy and Ranjana Pandey who accompany you through the tour. 

In the organization of the schedule care is given to your comfort and to understanding the cultural context. 

The visit to temples, watching other forms like traditional dance, music, temple events…are also included, as is the experience of a Forest resort (you might see wild elephants) and an Ayurvedic (traditional healing practice) oil massage.

Our teachers and guides are generational Master Puppeteers in Karnataka and Kerala:

Gunduraju (Togalu Gombeyatta), Chidambra Rao (Togalu Gombeyatta), Sajeesh Pulavar (Tol Pava Koothu).

You will travel by road, in an air-conditioned mini bus, and by an air-conditioned overnight train with sleeping berths. We will eat local food … with options for a more “familiar” menu.

Besides our tour through parts of rural Southern India, you will also spend a couple of days in the city of Bangalore in Karnataka state. The tour begins and ends in Bangalore city. The hotels you will stay in will be modest, clean and comfortable, with modern amenities.

A detailed brochure will be sent to those who express interest in this intimate, once- in- a lifetime, 15 day Puppet Tour of Shadow Puppetry Traditions of Southern India! 

This tour is open to only 10 people .

Anyone interested is welcome, not just puppeteers.

The estimated cost is 3,000 U.S $ per person. 

This cost includes group travel to different locations within India, most of the meals, all the stays in hotels, the museum visits, dance show, Puppet performances, making workshops and material and the Master classes/lectures.

It does not include travel insurance, travel to India, massage/treatment at the resort, forest safari (from Kabini resort).