Rajasthani Puppet Dolls

Among the extensive doll collection of Maria de Lourdes Orozco Cuautle, there are two puppets hailing from Rajasthan, India, seen in the Neatline exhibit below (Rajasthani Puppet Doll, n.d.a; Rajasthani Puppet Doll, n.d.b). The puppets are examples of Kathputli, a form of puppetry originating from Rajasthan (Jairazbhoy, 2007; Lal, 2004; Chopra et al., 2023). The clothing of the puppets is similar, mainly differing in colour. The puppets are both made of similar materials, with their heads made of bamboo, their clothing made of cotton, and their faces and hair painted on with acrylic (Rajasthani Puppet Doll, n.d.a; Rajasthani Puppet Doll, n.d.b.). For more information on the puppet’s components, click on the annotated sections of the exhibit. By clicking on each component in the order listed, you can go through the procedure followed in actually constructing Kathputli puppets.

Kathputli puppets traditionally consist of a set stock of characters, with general archetypes or roles communicated through the puppet’s clothing, accessories, facial features, and occasionally even number of strings (Chopra et al., 2023; Jairazbhoy, 2007; Heydari, 2025; Lal, 2004). Given the significant similarities between the two puppets in the collection, it is likely that they are meant to depict a similar archetype, if not specific character. A likely archetype for these puppets is that of a historical princess (rani) (Chopra et al., 2023). Royal and other noble characters are common fixtures of Kathputli performances, which frequently tell stories of great kings and warriors (Chopra et al., 2023; Lal, 2004; Heydari, 2025). Another common female archetype in Kathputli performances is that of the dancing girl or courtesan, commonly referred to by the name Anarkali (Jairazhboy, 2007; Chopra et al., 2023). While it is possible that these puppets are intended to depict dancers, royalty seems more plausible for two reasons. Firstly, royal characters are typically distinguished from the ornateness and detailing of their clothing, with rani puppets typically wearing finer garments than Anarkali puppets (Chopra et al., 2023); the quantity of embroidery, embellishment, and accessories on the puppets in the exhibit thus indicate that they are more likely to depict royalty. Furthermore, the dancers perform the most complicated, sophisticated, and elegant dance moves in the performance, and in order to execute such movements, are often given extra strings for the puppeteer to manipulate (Jairazbhoy, 2007; Lal, 2004). The puppets in the collection, however, have only two strings each, suggesting that they might not have been intended to perform particularly complicated actions. 

The creators of these puppets are, in all likelihood, members of the Bhat community of Rajasthan, who are the primary practitioners of the Kathputli tradition (Chopra et al., 2023; Lal, 2004; Heydari, 2025). The Bhat community are a semi-nomadic people who originate from the Marwar area of Rajasthan (Snodgrass, 2006; Jairazbhoy, 2007). Their primary occupation has historically been to serve as storytellers, musicians, oral historians, and genealogists for patron villages or families in a system of patronage known locally as jajmani (Snodgrass, 2006; Jairazbhoy, 2007). As the jajmani system has faded over time in importance and profitability, Bhats have had to turn to other forms of work to supplement their income, with some clans turning to puppetry (Jairazbhoy, 2007; Snodgrass, 2006). 

The Kathputli dolls seen in Orozco's exhibit, as with all Kathputli puppets, are an essential part of a storytelling tradition. They are built in order to be used for performances. To better understand these dolls and the evolution of the Kathputli tradition, it is thus essential to appreciate the centrality of performance and storytelling. The roles of both performer and audience member are of critical importance, profoundly impacting both the performance and one another. The interactions between audience and performer can lead to the construction of new narratives that allow both audience and performer to understand and (re-)define themselves and each other.

The remainder of this exhibit will explore these interactions and relationships between the puppeteer, the puppet, and the audience members of Kathputli puppet shows, focusing on the importance of time and identity. While the “characters” of puppeteer and audience member are constrained by these factors, the Bhat puppeteers and their audiences are also able to re-interpret them to make the story more meaningful and valuable for their own purposes and desires, making themselves both character and author. The exhibit will conclude by examining how the affordances of the puppets enable these interactions to occur, paying attention to the significance of movement in this process, and including a map to explore the sprawling story of the Kathputli tradition.