Puppet in Folk belief

Folk beliefs are beliefs of common people of a society, which have no any scientific ground. Folk beliefs are transmiting orally generation after generation. In Indian society, folk belief has an important place. However, it is difficult to explain the cause of the birth of folk beliefs. When a woman conceived, she has to pass many folk beliefs related to pregnancy. Similarly, when a man passed away, his family has to performe death rites according to folk beliefs prevail in their society.Thus, folk beliefs are related to every sphere of human life. According to famous folklorist Alan Dudes, Folk beliefs are classified in three categories from the point of texture.

They are—

a. Sign folk belief.

Sign folk belief are those,through which prediction of future is done.There are numerous sign folk belief in our society.As for example,coming out of ants from their hole indicates of rain.

b. Magic folk belief.

Magic folk belief suggests solution to people for their different problems. Accoring to believers of magic folk belief, imposible can make possible by applying magic folk belief. As for example, people organize marraiage of frog in Assam in wishing of rain.

c. Conversion folk belief.

Conversion folk belief is composition of magic folk belief and sign folk belief. Converstion means adapt to a new or different purpose. Features of magic folk belief mainly displayed through this kind of folk belief. Some of Conversion folk belief evolved out because of hindering process of magic folk belief. As for example, to get success in bamboo cultivation,the stump of bamboo should transplanted in the Assamese month of Magh.

Folk beliefs are cultural assets of a society. They are indispensable part of every society. “All religions, primitive and modern have this base of belief and ritual”.^[1] According to some scholars puppet is as old as human civilization. Although it is not clear the place and time of puppets birth, yet it is serving as cultural as well as religious tool. When human civilization was far from the light of knowledge, people thought that evil spirits were cause of unwanted happenings of human life, Natural calamity, destruction of crops, illness and so on. To tame this evil spirits, people of early civilization took help of various religious rites and folk customs.To drive away evil spirit, people used to worship statue of gods and goddess, big trees and stones. At that time puppetry was vey popular in religious institutions. Besides entertainment, the aim of using puppets was to create belief about existence of god and supernatural power among people. According to Kalikapurana, people used Puppet in worshiping of goddess “Chandika” to fulfill their wish. There are numerous example of relation of puppets with folk belief, custom and fertility. In Ancient India, there was a ritual among Aryans of making a puppet of enemy and attack it with arrow before fight. The puppet was made of Kusho (a kind of sacred grass).They believed that; their victory becomes easy if they perform this ritual. In India, using of puppet to drive away evil spirit is a very ancient tradition prevalent among different tribes. Puppets are widely use by peasent society. Human like puppets are use by farmer to protect their crops from insects and birds. During Stone Age also farmers use to keep a human bone puppet in their crop in wish of prosperity of crops.

For wishing of fertility of crop field and wellbeing of crops and for wishing of rain, puppet shows are performe in various states of India. Puppets have an important place in folk belief of Odisha.People of Odisha believe that, not organizing of shadow puppet “Ravan Chaya”at least once in a year may cause natural calamity, poverty, flood and may destroy the state. People of Tamilnadu also, organize Shadow puppet shows for well being of crops. This programe continues for ten days. In wishing of rain, people of Andhra Pradesh organized Shadow puppet of “Birat Parva” episode from the “Mahabharata”. In Karnataka also puppets shows are organize in wishing of rain. According to Karnatak’s folk belief, the god of rain Baruna satisfies only with puppet shows. After a successful puppet show, Baruna blessed the farmers with rain. In Karnataka, Puppeteers gets respects as Oja, who can cure desease. People of many interior places of Karnataka invites them to cure diseases or drive away spirits believed to enter into human body.

Puppetry has important place in Folk belief of Assam. Since time immemorial, using of puppets can see in ritualistic functions of Assam. Marriage of puppets is organizes in some places of Brahmaputa velly on the first Assamese month Bohag in the wish of well being of Assamese people. Hindu “Vaidic” system follows in this marriage. Some woman takes Bride’s side and some takes groom side. Puppet marriage is performed same way according to human marriage. The rituals of washing bride and groom with turmeric and matimah (a kind of pulse), Suwaguri tola and so on are performed with great zeal. After marriage, women do Nam kirtan and puppet bride and groom kept in a banana raft along with earthen lamp, fruits and flowers offered to deity. The banana raft is set afloat in river when Nam Kirtan is over. People of Nalbari and Mangoldoi district believe that, if parents of newborn baby organize puppet show in their courtyard after twenty-two days of the Childs birth, then the child will be a great man.

Puppet also have an important place in folk belief of Barak valley.In the last day of Assamese Chot month,i.e last month of Assamese calendar, worship of puppet is performed. For well being of people, two puppets are made by cloth. One is assuming as God Shiva and other is assuming as goddess “Parvati.” Both the puppets afloat in river by keeping in a banana raft when worshiping is over. In Barak valley,woman without child organize puppet marriage in wishing of child. Moreover, after worshiping they are afloat by keeping in a banana raft along with four eggs of duck.Here eggs of duck is symbol of fertility.

There are numerous folk beliefs in our society related to various performing art. However, time and advent of modernity have wiped out many of them. Lack of interest in collecting and compilation of folk beliefs spreading in folk socity is another significant cause of their extinction. Practicing of these folk beliefs directly or indirectly can help in surviving the performing arts, which are dying slowly.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mazumdar D.N, An Introduction to Social Anthropology, New Delhi,1986,p:15