Rājasthānī puppet

Rājasthānī puppet, string marionette found in the state of Rājasthān in northwestern India. It is controlled by one string that passes from the top of the puppet’s head, over the manipulator’s hand, and down to one shoulder and controls the body. The shrill voices characteristic of the Rājasthānī marionettes are produced by the head puppeteer, who speaks through a bamboo reed.

The ceremony that marks the “death” of a puppet is some measure of puppetry’s importance in Rājasthān. A marionette is handed down from generation to generation. When it is no longer usable, it is floated down a holy river with a prayer; the length of time that it remains afloat is an indication of how kindly the gods are judging it.