RAS question
Kathputli, the traditional puppet art of Rajasthan, uses which type of puppets?
Correct answer: (A) String puppets (marionettes).
Rajasthan's Kathputli tradition uses string puppets, or marionettes, operated through strings attached to the puppet's head, hands and body.
Explanation
Kathputli is Rajasthan's traditional string-puppet, or marionette, form. Strings are attached to the puppet's head, hands and body, allowing the performer to manipulate its movements. Global InCH - International Journal of Living Heritage describes the marionettes of Rajasthan as kathputhlis or string puppets, made and performed by the Bhatts, and notes the long string for the head and waist along with strings from the two hands. The name also fits the object: kathputli literally means a wooden doll, with kath meaning wood and putli meaning doll. So the decisive clue is not the broader word puppet, but the string-operated technique.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Shadow puppets are worked through shadows cast on a screen, whereas the Rajasthan form described here is explicitly a marionette or string-puppet tradition.
- (C) Rod puppets are manipulated with rods, but Kathputli movement is described through strings attached to the head, waist and hands.
- (D) Glove puppets are worn over the hand, while Kathputli puppets are suspended and controlled by strings rather than fitted like a glove.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan History, Art and Culture through the classification of a major folk performance tradition by technique. It recurs in RAS because Kathputli is a recognisable Rajasthan art form where the operative feature, string manipulation, fixes the answer.