Kochi, Jan 13 (PTI) A three-day workshop on 'tholpavakoothu' (shadow puppet play) and the various tricks involved in it began at Fort Kochi Cabral Yard on Friday as part of the ongoing 5th edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB).

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The workshop is being held as part of Biennale's Art By Children Art Room project.

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Renowned puppeteer Viswanatha Pulavar gave the introductory talk and said people watch puppet shows with delight and focus on the matter conveyed.

"People who refuse to acknowledge what is being said, no matter how significant it may be, but when the same is told through puppets via movements and expressions, the person listens to it with intense delight and applies all focus on it. This is the universal relevance of puppetry as an art form," he said.

Hailing from a lineage that has practised the art for 13 successive generations, every member of Pulavar's family is currently active in the field, organisers said in a release.

His wife Pushpalatha, son Vipin and daughter-in-law Ramya are also leading the training sessions at the workshop alongside Pulavar.

The Folklore Academy Award and Fellowship winner said the workshop aims to enrich the creativity of everyone regardless of age through 'tholpavakoothu.'

"Training will be given on all three days on the different steps involved in the art form, beginning with drawing the images on paper, then copying it into the puppet skin, readying the script, and then finally presenting it," Pulavar added.

He said earlier, deer skin was used to make the puppets but with the ban on deer- hunting, puppets are made using goat and bull hide.

Biennale organisers said the Pulavar family gave all support during the making of the movie 'Nizhalazham', the first movie that portrayed the life of tholpavakoothu artistes.

Pushpalatha is also the first woman to enter the field of tholpavakoothu, the release said, adding that son Vipin is the award winner for Young Artiste.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 12 inaugurated the country's largest contemporary art exhibition here.

Besides the main venues, Aspinwall House and Pepper House, the exhibition of artworks and installations would be held at TKM Warehouse, Dutch Warehouse, Kashi Art Cafe, Kashi Town House, and David Hall, all in and around Fort Kochi. The Durbar Hall Art Gallery in the heart of Ernakulam city is also a Biennale venue.

The KMB was launched in 2012, and this year marks the 10th anniversary of the bienniale event. The fifth edition, originally scheduled in 2020 and postponed twice due to the Covid pandemic, is finally being realised in a grand manner.

The fourth edition in 2018 saw over six lakh art enthusiasts from across the world calling it as one of the top international art destinations.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)