Wooden string puppeteer Mothe Jagannatham passes away in Jangaon

Jagannatham led a troupe of performers dedicated to preserving a centuries old tradition of storytelling through wooden string puppetry

Hyderabad: Eminent wooden string puppeteer Mothe Jagannatham, affectionately called ‘Bommalollu’, passed away in Ammapuram of Jangaon district.

Jagannatham led a troupe of performers dedicated to preserving a centuries old tradition of storytelling through wooden string puppetry. Their performances brought to life epics like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and stories of Prahlada and Ramadasu. The troupe’s artistry represents the rich cultural heritage of Telangana region and presently, only two such troupes remain from same Mothe family in Warangal.

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Jagannatham’s life and contributions were further celebrated in the film Bommalollu, a documentary film depicting their unique cultural value to wooden string puppetry by well known film maker Ajit Nag.

Vedakumar Manikonda, Chairman of the Deccan Heritage Academy Trust, recalled his long association with Jagannatham and said together, they toured 3 regions of 11 districts of combined Andhra Pradesh. National Manuscript mission Awareness campaigned Jagannatham’s troupe puppetry performances contributed to preservation and the importance of cultural heritage among educational institutions and the public, he said.

Vedakumar urged the State government to provide financial support to Jagannatham’s family and recognise his traditional cultural form contribution to Telangana.