Overview
Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara is an Indian puppeteer artist associated with the traditional puppetry heritage of Karnataka. She is recognised within the community of folk performers who sustain India's leather and string puppet traditions.
Key Facts
| Name | Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | Puppetry |
| Field | Traditional folk performing arts |
Background
The Shillekyatha (also rendered Killekyatha or Shillekyatharu) community in Karnataka is historically associated with shadow and string puppetry, performing narratives drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and regional folk epics. Practitioners typically travel between villages, presenting performances accompanied by song, percussion and dialogue. Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara belongs to this lineage of hereditary puppeteers.
Art Form
Karnataka's traditional puppetry includes leather shadow puppets (togalu gombeyaata) and string puppets (sutrada gombeyaata). The art combines visual craft — the cutting, painting and articulation of puppets — with vocal performance, music and storytelling. Communities such as the Shillekyatharu have served as custodians of these forms across generations.
Significance
Practitioners like Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara contribute to the continuity of an intangible cultural tradition that has faced decline due to changes in rural entertainment patterns. Their work is part of broader efforts to document, preserve and transmit folk performance arts in southern India.
Related Topics
- Togalu Gombeyaata
- Puppetry in India
- Folk Arts of Karnataka
- Shadow Puppetry
- Intangible Cultural Heritage of India
References
- Wikidata entry: Q134301577