Pandemic brings curtains down on livelihood of puppeteers
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The leather-based puppetry artistes in East Godavari district are struggling to make ends meet because the coronavirus pandemic have confined them to their properties. Since the outbreak of the virus, the artistes haven’t been in a position to do a single avenue efficiency of the age-old theatre artwork type from which they earn their bread and butter.
A majority of the puppeteers stay within the rural pockets of Madhavapatnam, Jamuna Nagar, Cheediga, Peddapuram, Karapa, Amalapuram and Rajamahendravaram Urban in East Godavari district, through which not less than 400 households practise this artwork from as a legacy.
“By February, we set our performance calendar for the rest of the year. The Central government, State government, the authorities of temples and managements of local festivals book us. The lockdown imposed in March to check the COVID-19 spread upset out schedule for this year,” says Thota Bala Krishna from Madhavapatnam village the place many puppeteers households stay.
Till the March-end, Mr. Bala Krishna says, his ten-member troupe was busy in numerous consciousness marketing campaign for numerous programmes launched by the Central and State governments.
“We were performing as part of an awareness drive in the pockets hit by left-wing extremism in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts, when the lockdown was imposed. Now, there is no guarantee that the awareness drive will resume,” laments Mr. Bala Krishna.
Peak season misplaced
In the previous few months, the puppeteers have missed their enterprise seasons of Vinayaka Chavithi, Dasara and different temple festivals.
“We have no clue when the restrictions public gathering will be lifted. How will we run our families unless we perform,” asks Mr. Bala Krishna.
Anaparthi Edukondalu, president of East Godavari Tholubommala Kalakarula Samakhya says many puppeteers additionally make some cash by promoting outdated clothes. “This livelihood option has also gone due to the lockdown. Hundreds of families are in search of livelihood,” he says.
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