Andhra Pradesh Leather Puppetry

Its origination is from Nimmalakunta in Anantpur District and Narsaraopet of Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. About the product: The Ramayana theme predominates in the designs with huge puppets of Hanuman, Ravana with ten heads, Vinayaka seated regally, all being depicted in vivid colours. Even on the lampshades, deities hold sway along with animals and floral designs. For drawing the contours, an outlining hand brush is used and thereafter the colours are filled in with vegetables dyes – brilliant reds, greens, whites, yellows, browns and orange ruling the roost. The lampshade is made to look more attractive by chiseling small holes in a decorative pattern on it. The perforation executed on the coloured leather gives an appearance of rich ornamentation against the background of light. The use of light to depict and narrate epics on screen and puppets modeled representing mythological characters created artistically out of leather have contributed to the uniqueness of these lampshades. The artistic depiction of episodes from folklore, epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Krishna Leela and a host of other characters in a narrative form on Leather goods is unique. It has got unique style of Making, expression, and finish.