Srikanth S

This Foundation Project, implemented by IFA, engages seventh grade students of the Government Moulana Azad Model School and College (English Medium) in Lashkar Mohalla, Mysore district, through a project exploring the learning possibilities with string puppets – Marionettes. By engaging with the methods, techniques, and puppet-making processes, the project connects to their curriculum in Mathematics, Science, and Social Science. Srikanth S will be the Coordinator for this project.  

Srikanth S is a puppeteer and a theatre practitioner from Mysore. He has performed more than 350 shows across Karnataka and has been involved in teaching and directing various forms of performing and traditional arts, including short plays, theatre, folk arts, and handicrafts, for students in government schools and colleges. Alongside working as a teacher at Arivu School, he continues to actively participate in theatre activities with amateur theatre groups. He has also established a theatre group called Nataka Ranga, through which he has been continuously engaged in teaching, learning, and promoting theatre. Given his experience, he is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA. 

Puppetry, which is found throughout the world, is one of the most ancient forms of arts and is found in many parts of Karnataka as well as across India. Since the time of early humans, painting and the use of masks have been part of human expression. Some inscriptions dating to 1470 CE and 1521 CE indicate that puppetry was very popular during the Vijayanagara period in Karnataka. Most theatrical forms attract audiences belonging to particular age groups. However, the uniqueness of puppetry lies in its ability to attract people across all age groups, from students to the elderly. On a large stage, there are many feats that humans as actors cannot perform, but puppets can realistically perform such actions within a small space. They create an entire magical world before the eyes of the audience. The unseen force behind the screen that gives life to these puppets through voice and movement is the puppeteer, known as the Sutradhara. This project will explore one such form of puppetry known as string or thread-puppet theatre – Marionettes. 

Modernisation and social change have contributed to the decline in the number of artists and traditional art forms. Therefore, an important objective of this project is to introduce the art of thread puppetry to students and teachers by providing them opportunities to experience and observe it. In the first phase of the project, seventh grade students of Government Moulana Azad Model School and College (English Medium) will be engaged in theatrical and play-based activities that encourage interaction and help them develop a sense of familiarity and belonging. Following this, there will be a series of screenings of short documentaries and videos about puppets and puppetry performances. Opportunities will be provided for local artists in this project, including those who have remained relatively unknown, to share their experiences with students and receive a platform to showcase their puppetry work. The history of thread puppetry, its methods and techniques, puppet-making processes, preparation of materials, and knowledge of the resources used will be introduced.

In the second and third phase, through subjects such as Mathematics, Science, and Social Science, students will be introduced to sketches and designs for making puppets and the use of different materials. They will be encouraged to create puppets themselves. They will also be involved in collecting local folk stories and songs. Students will be divided into groups and will be encouraged to write scripts for the performance. They will learn to operate and manage puppets along with vocal performance and narration, musical instruments and playing, costume and designing, and overall stage management. Resource persons will be invited throughout the project for various sessions. This project will not only train them to make and perform with the puppets but also will encourage them to look into this form as a pedagogical tool in their classroom learning and how this can be further understood as a form of expression among students and teachers.

The outcome of the project will be puppetry performances and an exhibition. The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA with the final report will include photographs and video documentation of the entire project.

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Education programme in the manner in which it attempts to connect students and schools to the cultural knowledge of the regions they inhabit and communities they live in. 

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.