Bihar's Yampuri rod puppetry tradition faces risk of extinction
The traditional art form, which uses single-piece wooden puppets to depict the afterlife, is struggling to compete with digital screens.
The traditional Yampuri rod puppetry of Bihar is on the brink of vanishing, according to a report by The Pioneer. The art form uses puppets carved from a single piece of wood to depict the afterlife and the judgment of Yama, the Hindu god of death.
Performances typically last about an hour in Hindi and Bhojpuri. The stage, which measures twenty feet by twenty feet, features puppeteers hidden in trenches while musicians play the harmonium, dholak, and jhanjh.
One troupe from Uttar Pradesh, the Karmagat Yampuri Baikunth Pradarshak Natak Mandali, is said to be over two centuries old. While companies once performed across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, the tradition is now declining.
The decline is attributed to the rise of screens and smartphones, which have taken over leisure time. Additionally, the high costs of carving, painting, and travelling, combined with scarce bookings and low pay, have led the children of performing families to seek steadier work.
The loss of the craft threatens woodcarving, puppet design, music, and stagecraft. Because the skills are passed from master to apprentice without manual records, every retirement removes specific expertise from the tradition.