8 Commemorative Stamps on ‘Puppets of India’

The Department of Posts released eight commemorative postage stamps on “Puppets of India” to celebrate traditional puppetry heritage. The initiative highlights diverse regional puppetry forms across India.

Puppets of India - Traditional Forms:

Dimension	Key Details
Purpose	Provides for celebration of traditional puppetry heritage through commemorative stamps
Earliest Literary Reference	Found in Tamil classic Silappadikaaram dated to 1st–2nd century B.C.
Historical Evidence	Terracotta doll with detachable head found from Indus Valley Civilisation dated to 2500 B.C.
Classification	Traditional puppetry comprises string, shadow, rod and glove puppets
String Puppets	Kathputli (Rajasthan), Kundhei (Odisha), Gombeyatta (Karnataka), Bommalattam (Tamil Nadu)
Shadow Puppets	Togalu Gombeyatta (Karnataka), Tholu Bommalata (Andhra Pradesh), Ravanachhaya (Odisha)
Rod Puppets	Putul Nautch (West Bengal), Orissa Rod Puppets, Yampuri (Bihar)
Glove Puppets	Pavakoothu (Kerala)
Commemorative Forms Depicted	Kathputli, Yakshagana Sutrada Gombeyatta, Daanger Putul, Kathi Kundhei, Benir Putul, Pavakathakali, Ravanachhaya and Tolu Bommalatta