Thrissur, Feb 12 (PTI) A Kerala-based Robotics firm<br>has initiated a programme to preserve the 4,000-year-old dying<br>art form of puppetry, using technology and automation.<br> Tholapavakoothu the Shadow Puppetry of Kerala,<br>is played traditionally by 'Pulavar' accompanied with shadow<br>light, sound, and songs.<br> Pulavar is the title given to a scholar and performer<br>who has extensive knowledge of Tholapavakoothu.<br> The first live model of the automated process in<br>puppetry was showcased at the District Heritage Museum in<br>Palakkad on Thursday.<br> With zero compromise on the traditional art form, the<br>automation technology is designed to seamlessly mimic the<br>puppet movements, otherwise controlled by skilled hand<br>movements.<br> The soul of puppetry is the skilled hand movements<br>that control the puppets.<br> A typical performance usually has a group of 7 people<br>managing the puppets in cohesion to produce the narrative.<br> Commenting on this initiative, Rahul P Balachandran,<br>CEO, Inker Robotics, said "The application of automation in<br>trying to revive the art form from dying is one of the many<br>examples that when innovatively used, the benefits of<br>automation is transformational."<br> "In the middle of a pandemic, a dedicated team<br>of engineers at Inker Robotics have studied the delicate art<br>form along with the Pulavars and worked passionately to bring<br>to life this art form,"he said.<br> In modern times, educationists the world over have<br>realised the potential of puppetry as a medium for<br>communication and by bringing in such inclusion one can bring<br>back the age old way of interactive communication effectively<br>for children and thereby preserving the art form and making<br>learning more interesting, he said.<br> "With the successful implementation of this project,<br>we are confident that this will re-ignite the interest and<br>revive the 4,000-year-old art form that was part of folklore<br>and growing up years of millions of children in the country,"<br>he added.<br> Headquartered at Thrissur, INKER is a 4,500 sqft<br>Robotics Facility with 40+ industry professionals.PTI UD BN<br>ADMINISTRATOR <br> BN<br>ADMINISTRATOR