7th February 2023, Dehradun: Under the aegis of SPIC MACAY, Sindhe Hanumanthu Rao & group commenced with their 4-day-long circuit on ‘Tholu Bommalata’ also referred to as shadow puppetry in Dehradun. During the first day of the circuit, they performed for the students of Beverly Hills Shalini School and Oasis School. Sindhe Hanumantha Rao is accompanied by Anjaneyulu, S. Jayanthi, S.Tirupatamma, S. Chandra Shekhar, and S. Ganesh.
During the occasion, they performed the traditional art form that involved the movement of leather puppets against light to create a unique play of shadows. The troupe performed the age-old Ramayana epic, Sundara Kanda, which enthralled the audience.
Informing the students about Sundara Kanda, Hanumanthu said, “Sundara Kanda depicts the adventures of Hanuman. Hanuman was lovingly called Sundara by his mother Anjani, and this kand deals primarily with Hanuman’s journey to Lanka and his selflessness, strength, and devotion to Rama.”
Dating back to the 3rd century BC, ‘Tholu Bommalata’ – a hallmark of Andhra’s culture, folklore, art, and heritage is one of the oldest and most celebrated forms of performing arts. Translated as ‘the dance of leather puppets’, Tholu Bommalata features goat and deer leather puppets painted with mineral colors. This exquisitely engaging shadow puppetry derives its characters from India’s most admired and revered epics Ramayana and Mahabharata with a local flavor.
Sindhe Hanumanthu is the 6th generation leather puppetry artist from Andhra Pradesh and has been performing for the last 18 years. He performs stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata and has performed all across national and international platforms, including Spain, Japan, Paris, and Germany. He has also conducted various workshops in South Africa. Hanumanthu has received recognition from various quarters, including the National Award in 2008 and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by Central Sangeet Natak Academy.
Appreciating the art forms, one of the students, Rakshit, said, “I was utterly mesmerized by the performance given by the troupe. I thank my school and SPIC MACAY for holding such creative and informative programs that give us an insight into various art forms of our country.”
During their circuit in Dehradun, the group will also perform in other schools, including Sunrise Academy, Kasiga School, Bajaj Institute of Learning, Himjyoti Polytechnic, and Oak Grove School.
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