‘Classify Bommalattam as theatre,’ urges puppeteer T.S. Murugan
Veteran puppeteer T.S. Murugan has called for Bommalattam, the traditional Tamil wooden puppetry art, to be officially classified as theatre. Speaking on the challenges of sustaining the art form, Murugan of Sri Murugan Sangeetha Bommalatta sabha said Bommalattam demands far more than puppet manipulation.
“The art requires a knowledge of music, literature and folk arts, skill in mimicry, a sense of humour and enormous stamina,” said Murugan, who belongs to a hereditary family of puppeteers.
He noted that the craft involves crafting intricate puppets, developing scripts, and sustaining long performances — elements that align closely with theatre. Bommalattam has deep roots in Tamil culture and literature. References to wooden puppets, or marappavai, appear in Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural.
In Kural 1,020, he uses the puppet as a metaphor for a person without modesty, and in verse 1,058 he compares people to wooden marionettes in the absence of charity seekers. Murugan and his troupe recently staged Sita Kalyanam through Sri Murugan Sangeetha Bommalatta sabha, continuing the family tradition of presenting mythological stories with music and narration.He said greater recognition and institutional support are needed to preserve the art and train the next generation of performers.
