Chadar Badar, a rare form of indigenous Santhal puppetry, is a hallmark of Santhali culture. The dying art form was once prevalent in the Santhal communities living in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Assam. Today, only a handful of Chadar Badar puppeteers are seen scattered in the Birbhum, Bardhaman, North Dinajpur, and Bankura districts of West Bengal and Dumka region of Jharkhand.
The main reason for the art form becoming obscure is that only very few members of the community have learnt the basic art of making the puppets or have acquired the skills to bring them to life on makeshift stages. However, with the help of social activists and government support, some members of the community are making a valiant attempt to retain this art form and pass it on to future generations.
Making the puppets is the main aspect of Chadar Badar and requires technical skills. Created with intricate workmanship, the puppets are made of bamboo or wood and are about 8 to 9 inches in height. The puppets have movable limbs with intricate lever controlled mechanisms, which are manipulated by the puppeteer.
For the performance, the puppets are placed on a small platform with a canopy or hung inside a wooden box, open on three or all four sides. The string, lever and sticks used to move the puppets are covered with a chadar or a wrap. When the puppeteer tugs the string, it turns the lever, which causes the sticks to move up and down, thereby making the puppets’ limbs move.
A combination of traditional musical instruments, including the Baje Banam, Lagara, Tirenya or flute, and the Tunda or Madal accompanies the performance. The synchronization between the music and puppets is so perfect that the puppets appear automated. Accompanied by the music and singing, the puppets create an illusion of a rhythmic Santhali dance. The performance is a display of indigenous animation and simplicity and an attempt by the members of the community to retain their own culture.
Few members of the community continue the tradition of performing this form of puppet theatre during the Dasain festival, held around the time of Durga Puja. They take the puppets to neighboring as well as distant villages, put up shows and receive rice, pulses and alms in gratitude for their efforts. The shows are also put up during Santhali festivals and other happy occasions like weddings. There are some district-wise differences in the presentation of Chador Bador. In Birbhum district, the stage is usually round in shape, while in Dinajpur, it is normally square.
The timing of a Chadar Badar show is variable and depends on the interest of the audience. If the spectators wish to see more, the puppeteer can easily increase the length of the performance. The puppeteers are emotionally attached to their puppets and treat them like their own children. All the puppets are given names – while Ram and Lakshman are common names for the male puppets, Khukumoni, Sonamoni, and Lakshmimoni are common names for the female puppets.
