Puppeteers at the National Khadi and Handicraft Mahotsav. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Oct. 27: Clad in achakan, dhoti, pagari (turban) and jutees they make the puppets dance to their tunes before the enraptured audience at National Khadi and Handicraft Mahotsav in Gopal Maidan today.

Meet Sanny, Pappusinh and Bharat who have caught the fancy of the visitors to the fair with their deft handling of strings and puppets. The threesome sell Rajasthani home decoration items — wall hanging, stuffed horses and camels, puppets — in the morning and the evenings are reserved for puppetry shows.

The puppeteers from a village in Ahmedabad in Gujrat say they travel throughout the year to entertain people at various nook and corners of the country.

“We are into puppetry since childhood. In fact, we were taught to make them at a very early age,” said Sanny, while making a toy horse at his kiosk.

The puppeteers, who have now shifted their base to Ahmedabad from a village in Jaipur, are known for their mastery over puppetry. “We are travelling throughout the country all over the year, we rarely home. We participate in various fairs and present fun games during marriage parties. These activities are the means of our livelihood,” said Bharat.

Though they are staying at Gujarat for over two decades now they have a distinct Rajasthani tribal accent.

“Our forefathers lived in Rajasthan and some of our ancestors still resides in our native village. But we have shifted to Gujarat,” said Pappusinh.

For the puppeteers their next destination would be the state capital, Ranchi, which will host the annual National Khadi and Handicraft Mahotsav from December 17.

The tribal artisans adept at making home decoration items would make the items at the kiosk just before the visitors. “These toys carry the essence of Rajasthan and Gujarat, it reflects our culture and ethos,” explains 28-year-old Sanny.

Young Akshay, who is also a part of the group, enthrals visitors with the folk songs of Gujarat. Akshay beats the drum while Sanny gallops by his side in a toy horse. “We feel happy, to watch people assemble in near the stage and entertain themselves every evening,” said Bharat.

The group members said they are hopeful of a good business in the fair.

“We sell traditional items which have the smell of the soil and the culture. People come and appreciate our pro-ducts. Till now we have sold several home decoration items at this fair. The beginning here has been good,” they said.

Rajasthani kacchi godhi, Rajasthani ghummar dance, folk songs and Punjabi bhangra dhol are items the stage would stage at marriage parties and other programmes.