Andhra Big Naiyka Puppet

National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy

Title : Andhra Big Naiyka Puppet

Accession No : 84/122

Andhra Big Nayika puppet appears to be wearing Black Choli, Green Ghagra with some floral design all over. She is beautifully dressed up with different ornaments, which appears to be dismantled now and has applique bangle jewellery. The puppet has moving eyeballs, narrow eyebrows, pointed nose and red lips. She has yellow skin colour and the cloth from her hands is torn, one can see her yellow arm. The puppet is really distorted and the strings are broken. The strings can be seen attached to several parts of the puppet but are not in a movable form.

Gallery

84122A.jpg
84122B.jpg
84122C.jpg

Source

  • RepositoryNational Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy
  • CollectionMuseum Collection

Provenance

  • CountryIndia
  • StateAndhra Pradesh

Period

  • Start DateMid 20th century

Condition

  • ConditionDamaged
  • Action NoteCR

Contributor

  • Community / TribeRao-(Reddy)

Significance

  • Socio economicToday, there are many troupes and traditional families performing Koyya Bommalata, some of whom are master puppeteers recognised in their communities and sometimes nationally for their contribution to the art of puppetry.
  • Artistic"Traditional string puppet theatre of Andhra Pradesh, called Koyya Bommalata, Chekka Bommalata, Kathaibommalata, Keelu Bommatlatam or Sutram Bommalu in different regional dialects. Bommalu meaning 'puppet' is common to all. The word Koyya or Chekka means 'Wood'. Just as other forms of puppetry and shadow theatre, Koyya Bommalata brings to life episodes from the two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The puppets have a wooden torsos sculpted from a single piece of wood, have joints at the shoulders and hips. The strings are attached to a triangular shaped control. Usually, the puppets are painted with vegetable colours and dressed in cloth."

Description

  • DescriptionAndhra Big Nayika puppet appears to be wearing Black Choli, Green Ghagra with some floral design all over. She is beautifully dressed up with different ornaments, which appears to be dismantled now and has applique bangle jewellery. The puppet has moving eyeballs, narrow eyebrows, pointed nose and red lips. She has yellow skin colour and the cloth from her hands is torn, one can see her yellow arm. The puppet is really distorted and the strings are broken. The strings can be seen attached to several parts of the puppet but are not in a movable form.
  • Inscription/Markings No
  • Referencehttps://wepa.unima.org/en/koyya-bommalata/
  • KeywordPuppet, Kuchipudi, Traditional, Male, Theatre, Art, Kathputli, Bommalu, Bommalata, Koyya