The Kathputli art of the marionnette is passed down from generation to generation to the Bhatts, the puppeteer and musician cast of the Rajastan region. The artists of the show were trained in this art (how to fabricate as well as handle the marionettes) by the master Puran Bhatt at the Udaïpur Centre of Popular Art, in India.

In the Mirabaï show, which is like a sort of Indian circus, we meet the characters of this traditionnal art : magicians, acrobats, jugglers, horse riders, dancers and snake charmers.

Originally, the art of Kathputli told the story of the epics of the fierce warrior Amar Singh Rathor. He later becomes the unhappy hero of our story, inspired from Indian poetry (the story of Radha and Krishna's love) and from the life of Mirabaï, princess of Rajastan.

Puran Bhatt
Born of a long line of puppeteers, Puran studied the handling of marionettes with Mohan Lalbhat and the art of sculpturing with Naurang Lalbhat. They say he has surpassed his masters. During the last twenty years, Puran has travelled around the world to bring the art of Kathputli art to Europe, the USA, and Russia. His travels and curiosity have opened him to different theatrical gendres. In his own way, Puran has re-invented the Kathputli art. He has developed new types of marionnettes like the “singing camel”and new movements that have never been used so far in the Rajastan tradition.

Puran was the first man to open his teachings to western puppeteers collaborationg for 10 years with the French trust “Théâtre en Tête”. In 1991, he created the Aakar Theatre Company in the Kathputli colony, in Delhi, India.

As well as for festivals, his troup plays for schools, TV programmes and for the Ministry of Education and Environment. Different techniques are used during his shows, like those of the shadow theatre or the use of, masks, etc... In 2003, Puran received a national award from the famous Sangeet Natak Academy.