Togalu Gombayetta

This is  a traditional shadow puppetry from Karnataka in south-west India. Togalu signifies “leather” and gombeyata “figure, doll, dance and performance”.

There are two distinct types of togalu gombeyata based on the size of the figures. Chikka theatre uses the smaller figures (between 20 to 30 centimetres high) and dodda theatre uses the larger-sized figures (between 30 to 120 centimetres in height).

There are several regional variations within these two types of theatre that have different manipulation techniques, different music and also different morphology of figures that reproduce sculpted or painted ornaments from local temples. For example, the position of the two eyes in a face seen full front, as well as the compositions of humans, animals, birds and trees that can be seen in the mural paintings of the Lepakshi temple (built 14th-17th centuries during the Vijayanagar Kings’ period)
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