ABC Glove Puppetry Workshop held at Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025

The spectators burst into peals of laughter after each puppet play as they grasped the embedded layers of meaning of fundamental human instincts at the ABC Glove Puppetry Workshop, Hands that Tell Stories, facilitated by renowned puppeteer Anurupa Roy.

What Happened
- Participants of all ages and backgrounds gathered at Fort Kochi’s Bastion Bungalow Pavilion.
- Under the guidance of renowned puppeteer Anurupa Roy, they created and animated puppets that expressed themes like love, friendship, freedom, gossip, and nature.
- With just a twitch of an eyebrow, a moustache, or a smile crafted into the puppet’s face, the performers conveyed deep human emotions and instincts.

Why It Resonated
- Puppetry became a metaphor for human experience, showing how simple gestures can carry profound meaning.
- The workshop emphasized collaboration, creativity, and the joy of storytelling.
- Children especially took to it quickly, free of inhibitions, while adults found it both challenging and rewarding.

Broader Impact
- Anurupa Roy’s Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust has been nurturing puppetry since 1998, blending traditional forms like rod, string, shadow, and Bunraku with contemporary storytelling.
- The Biennale event highlighted puppetry as a way to awaken the child within us, keeping alive cultural traditions while innovating for modern audiences.

✨ It’s a poetic reminder that puppetry isn’t just about dolls and strings—it’s about bringing stories to life through imagination and craft.