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Dr. Jagadindra Raychoudhury
Guwahati, March 27: Puppetry (Putola Nach) theatre is a traditional string theatre which had been very much popular not only in Assam but also in entire Northeast India since time immemorial. "Putola Nach" was one of the most popular forms of entertainment, especially amongst children. Though the Putola Nach is familiar in Assam the concept of its performance was well known since the time of the Mahabharata era. According to the ancient oral myth of Puppetry, Goddess Parvati once created a beautiful puppet secretly and hid it inside a cave, so as to avoid any misfortune to the puppet. Lord Shiva, who was fascinated by the puppet gave life to it. The puppet started dancing after getting life and Lord Shiva sent the puppet to the earth for entertaining humankind. This oral myth on puppets was based on an ancient perspective.
Putola Nach is an ancient traditional folk theatrical performance of greater Assam. It is the world's most ancient form of folk drama. The drama was well performed across Assam and much admired in some places like Makhibaha, Muhkholi, Chandokusi, Tihu, Bhekuli and Piplibari. In Darrang district, it performed in Sipajhar and Kolaigaon and districts like Nagaon, Jorhat, Golaghat and Majuli, especially in Kamalabari Satra, Auniaiti satra, the performance of Putola Nach is highly praised by the outsiders for its wonderful performance.
The Putola Nach has to be performed with skillful hands because the lifeless puppets are brought to life by the sutradhars (Puppeteers). Normally they play these dramas based on certain scripts with different stories, songs and dances containing some background music. The sutradhar moves the puppets which are attached with some rods, strings and wires. This supporting equipments are invisible for the audience because of the lighting system.
Traditionally, in Assam the putola nach can be classified into two categories. The first one is Moukhik porompora (Oral Tradition) and the second one is Likhit porompora (Written/ record tradition).
Moukhik porompora is traditionally transformed from ancient times to the present context mainly orally. It carries some stories which a few historians have recognized as myth as how Parvati and Shiva prepared a puppet and sent to the earth for entertainment after giving life to it.
Another customary that was practiced was to avoid misfortunes. Special arrangements are made to drive away from the evil look of different people, wild animals and birds etc. The puppets or human like puppets are generally used for some kind of witch crafting. These kinds of activities are done through oral tradition which transformed from one generation to the other.
Another ritual customary that still prevails in our society is by creating puppets made up of kush grass and are being offered for dakhapina ( Hindu people use this on the tenth day following the death of a person).
Many historians and research scholars believe that Devorshi Narad was the first narrator of storytelling. The oral transmission of some folk stories are highlighted through Putola Nach and categorized as moukhik porompora.
Likhit parompora (written tradition) of Putola Nach is not exactly determined by its time as it has been documented since the time of Vedic era. The tales about putola obhinoy is especially mentioned in Kalikapurana, which was composed in Kamrupa in the eleventh century.
In Kalikapurana, with the help of the word 'Panchlika', the tales of putola nach have also been described. Some research scholars claim that Putola Nach is more ancient drama than Ojapali.
The Putola Nach in the undivided Kamrup District of Assam was known as Botris or Boti putola. It was also mentioned in the 'Dakrinngso puttolika' narrated by Sanskrit playwright, Boruchi, the tale of 32 puppets telling instructive stories to king Vikramaditya.
In Darrang District, puppets are also known as 'Jaal puteli'. The word 'Jaal' means fake which means puppets are not humans, on the contrary puppets are mentioned as the copy of a human.
Expert direction and skillful hands can bring lifeless puppets to life. The sutradhar or putola Bajikor were called as 'Taatokiya' especially in the middle age. The word 'Tatokia' was also mentioned by Srimanta Sankardeva in his Bhagawat Geeta.
In Assam, Putola Nach was known with different names, such as 'Khel-dhemalir putola' (playful puppets), 'dhormo khongkrantiyo putola' (religious puppets) and 'nrittor putola' (danching putola) etc. The khel- dhemalir putola includes both human and animals well-dressed like idols of God-Goddess. Dharmo khongkrantigo putola narrated some stories based on religion whereas khel-dhemalir putola expressed varieties of games.
Besides these, some other Putola Nach are also performed in Assam by the sutradhars and these are ---- 'Aanguli Putola' which is also popular in some parts of India. These putolas are without limbs. 'Haat putola' is another puppetry which is especially performed using hands.
'Khuta putola' is very much common in different parts of Assam where puppets are thin but strong and are manipulated in the drama by the puppeteers from behind the stage with the help of yarn or rope. There is another putola called 'Laathi putola' which is also very much common in Assam. Here, the puppets are made to move with the help of rods (laathi) from underneath the stage. The bamboo or the wooden rods remain hidden under the puppets which make the performance of puppet much easier for the sutradhars. The varied Putola Nach has some of its specific significance but the theme of almost all Putola Nach of Assam is based on the story of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puran etc. along with some strains based on present social life.
There is another Putola Nach, called 'Kukhan gaan' which is very popular folk drama of undivided Goalpara District. There is a specialty of this drama where songs along with dance are performed based on folk tales. The performance of Kukhan gaan has succeeded to protect its own characteristics. Kukhan gaan is also said to be the oldest form of Ram Yatra. Saint Valmiki taught Laba and Kusha the tales of Ramayana and which was periodically performed in front of Lord Ram. The kukhan gaan was also included with some other stories like ' Ravan bawdh' and 'Daani Raja Harischandra'. In kukhan gaan, altogether 5 to 6 artists are witnessed as co-workers with the Putola Bajikor. The musical instruments which are used in Kukhan gaan have some special qualities like Veena, Dotara, Sarinda etc. are invariably used by puppeteers. Kukhan gaan can be compared with Putola Naach because of its similarities and is mainly performed during Puja and any other special public gathering.
Putola Nach is the oldest outward appearance of drama since time immemorial where religious or social tales are performed with skilled hands. The Putola Nach drama is more attractive with songs and musical performance and it was very much popular across Assam but the present situation seems to be pathetic because the well-acclaimed puppetry is now on the verge of extinction. So, the conscious citizens, as well as art loving people of Assam, should extend their profitless efforts to revive our ancient puppetry theater to a larger extent. Our traditional works in the field of art and culture should be preserved and the flow of its continuity should be remain in a vibrant condition for our future generation.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Assam Tribune)
