The craft of making Leather Puppets originated in the small
village of Nimmmalakunta in Andhra Pradesh. Before the advent of
television, Leather Puppetry was one of the major forms of
entertainment not only to the rustic people but also to the
people dwelling in towns and cities. The popularity of Leather
Puppetry has partially dwindled but even now it is widely
prevalent in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Locally, the Leather
Puppetry shows are referred to as Tholu Bommalata. They are
based on stories from the Indian epics - Ramayana and
Mahabharata. In this case, holes are made on the Leather Puppets
and a slim bamboo stick is attached to them so that they remain
straight. Strings are attached to the various joints of the
Leather Puppets to facilitate controlling their movements. The
main raw material that is used for making Leather Puppets is the
skin of goats and sheep. It is the responsibility of the Leather
Puppet Society to supply the craftsmen with the leather that is
required for making the Leather Pupp