Description:

This leather puppet belongs to a long storytelling tradition found across South Asia, where intricately perforated hide figures are animated against backlit screens during ritual and theatrical performances. Crafted from treated leather and coloured with natural pigments, these puppets depict deities, heroes and mythological beings, their detailed ornamentation revealing exceptional artisanal skill. Historically used to narrate epics and moral tales within community gatherings, they remain a vivid expression of regional craftsmanship and devotional theatre.