It is one of Asia’s largest and most prominent annual puppet events, featuring traditional and modern, rod, and string puppetry from India and around the world. Held annually in New at the India Habitat Centreand produced by Teamwork Arts, it showcases diverse, high-quality, and creative performances.
The 22nd Ishara International Puppet Theatre Festival was held from February 13–22, 2026, showcasing global puppetry with performances from India, Italy, Korea, Bhutan, Turkey, and Albania.
Ishara Puppet Theatre, directed by Dadi D. Pudumjee, premiered “Amrita Sher-Gil: A Life Lived” this year at the festival. This 60-minute, English-language, biographical show uses puppets, video, and music to depict the artist’s life.
The play follows five art students discovering the life of Amrita Sher-Gil through her letters, diaries, and paintings.
What makes this play special is that, instead of presenting a chronological biography — “this happened, then that happened” — the production brings together puppets, actors, music and movement.
Have you ever watched a puppet show? Share in the comments below
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A fabulous and unique way to bring out the beautiful story of Amrita Shergil. Thanks for sharing @curatorofmemory
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The world of puppets is fascinating @curatorofmemory
Excellent shots 
I have only seen puppet shows of the traditional kind until now, like Rajasthani puppets.
These look modern.
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@Ssiddharth2000. Thanks for your kind words
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@TusharSuradkar. Thanks for all the appreciation
Hi @curatorofmemory Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful post. I truly enjoyed reading it, especially the creative biographical performance of Amrita Sher-Gil. 
In Indonesia, we have a very similar deep-rooted puppet culture called Wayang a word derived from the Javanese for ‘shadow’ or ‘imagination.’ Both Wayang Kulit (shadow puppets) Wayang Kulit from Central Java and Wayang Golek (wooden rod puppets) Wayang Golek from West Java are rooted in ancient Hindu-Buddhist traditions, often depicting epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. These performances are traditionally accompanied by a Gamelan orchestra, a traditional ensemble with unique music that sets a beautiful, dramatic atmosphere. 
Beyond the Hindu-rooted traditions, we have Wayang Potehi Wayang Potehi, which is a wonderful result of assimilation from Chinese traditions using glove puppets. We even have Wayang Beber Wayang Beber, where stories are told by unfurling long painted scrolls! 
Interestingly, we also have a major international event called Pesta Boneka Pesta Boneka in Yogyakarta. It is an international biennale where artists from all over the world gather to share both traditional and modern puppetry. These troupes perform in theaters or sometimes at special events. It’s amazing to see how puppetry, in all its forms, remains such a universal and evolving medium for storytelling across our cultures. 
Thank you for the wonderful insight! I look forward to seeing more of your cultural stories. 
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@doc_dells. Thank you for this beautiful share. Loved going thru your post
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