The stage dims into a constellation of oil lamps — the flickering glow that has illuminated Tholpavakoothu, Kerala’s ancient shadow-puppetry tradition for centuries. But this time, instead of the familiar verses of the Kamba Ramayana echoing through the courtyards of Bhadrakali temples in Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram, a live sonic improvisation begins to unfold. Bengaluru-based vocalist, musician and sound artiste Amata Bob, summons not the gods, but the ‘inner shadow’.
’Shadow Play’ premiered at BLR Hubba 2026 on January 22 at Panchavati, Amphitheatre. This unlikely encounter between experimental sound and ritualistic puppetry was created in collaboration with Penntholpaavakoothu, an all-women shadow puppetry ensemble from the Tholpavakoothu Puppet Center in Shoranur. The group is led by Rajitha Ramachandra Pulavar, seasoned shadow puppeteer and daughter of K. K. Ramachandra Pulavar, the 11th generation master shadow puppeteer.
It is believed that Tholpavakoothu originated in the 9th or 10th century. Rajitha’s grandfather, Krishnan Kutty Pulavar is credited with democratising this art form. Traditionally, Tholpavakoothu was strictly a male domain — performed over several nights in Bhadrakali temples, but Penntholpaavakoothu marks a radical turn, when women from the Pulavar family, encouraged by their elders, re-interpreted the art form with a contemporary feminist grammar, making it go beyond being just artistic.
Rajitha admits entering a male-dominated space was not easy. “Earlier, women were only backstage, but initiatives by the Kerala government and support helped us. The Padma Shri given to my father gave us recognition and motivated us to launch Penntholpaavakoothu,” she says.
For Amata, the collaboration is personal. “As women and artistes, we have encountered resistance from society and our own families. The shadow becomes a way of acknowledging that part of ourselves which isn’t given space,” says Amata, who discovered Tholpavakoothu through an online documentary and reached out to the artistes.
Look who holds the strings
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Invited to Shoranur, she witnessed an overnight temple performance, complete with the ritual lamps, smell of oil, and dynamic movement of puppets behind the screen. “Even the sound of the fire became part of the soundscape,” she recalls.
‘Shadow Play’ features 15 puppets — a mix of newly created pieces and repurposed ones, handled by an ensemble of five to eight women puppeteers. “We created four new puppets exclusively for this story, but we are also repurposing the older ones to make it more environment-friendly,” explains Aswathy Rajeev, Penntholpaavakoothu’s team co-ordinator.
The narrative, driven by experimental music, follows a woman grappling with conflicts before reaching the zenith of self-discovery. Historically, Tholpavakoothu was staged as a literary and ritual performance of the Kamba Ramayana, often running for 7, 21 or even 72 nights in temple courtyards called Koothumadam.
“There were no televisions or social media. People came to watch every night but not so now, yet it is staged with the same reverence and sincerity,” says Rajitha Ramachandara Pulavar, founder of Penntholpaavakoothu. The Pulavar family began introducing new subjects — women’s empowerment, Jesus Christ, Panchatantra, AIDS awareness alongside experimenting with 3-D animation and contemporary staging. The creation of Penntholpaavakoothu in 2022 was a step in the same direction of making it resonate with today’s audience and times.
If Tholpavakoothu provides the silhouettes, Amata brings in the voice, literally. She and her collaborator Sekhar Sudhir use folk-inspired instruments, experimental violins, and natural percussive sounds. ‘Shadow Play’ unfolds with Amata’s six original compositions, mapping a young woman’s journey from home to self-realisation. “It is about integrating the shadows within, a concept I resonate with from Jungian psychology. From family tensions to social evils, and finally to radical acceptance, the narrative mirrors the lived experiences of both collaborators. I believe the art we practice is a healthy expression of the shadow, the oppressed and repressed aspects of ourselves,” she adds.
The puppets themselves are artworks crafted from goat and buffalo skin, hand-punched with motifs inspired by nature and society. Rice-grain punches honour farmers; drum-shaped ones salute musicians; lunar crescents and leaf patterns evoke forests. “Everything is handmade and each design and pattern has a significance. The puppets of Rama will always have Veeralipattu (geometric pattern that symbolises royalty) punches,” shares Rajitha
At its core, ‘Shadow Play’ is a conversation between ritual and experiment, sound and silhouette, tradition and autonomy. It shows what happens when an art form rooted in temples and epics is inhabited by women telling contemporary stories.
