Panchayat/ Municipality/ Thrissur Corporation Corporation LOCATION District Thrissur Nearest Town/ Tamarind KTDC Hotel – 160 m Landmark/ Junction Nearest Bus Station Chembukkavu Bus Stop – 180 m Nearest Railway Punkunnam Railway Station – 1.1 Km Station Thrissur Railway Station – 6.6 Km ACCESSIBILITY Nearest Airport Cochin International Airport – 53.7 Km Krishnan Kutty Pulavar Memorial- Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Tholpavakoothu Puppet Centre Chembukkavu Koonathara Thrissur - 680020 Shoranur-679523 Phone 1: +91-487-2332548 Phone 1: +91-9846534998 Phone 2: +91-487-2332134 Phone 2: +91-9539636134 Email: [email protected] CONTACT Phone 3: +91-466-227226 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tholpavakoothu.in DATES FREQUENCY DURATION TIME May (to be advised) Annual 1 Day ABOUT THE FESTIVAL (Legend/History/Myth) Kerala Puppetry Festival is a unique event conducted by the Krishnankutty Pulavar Memorial Tholpavakoothu and Puppet Centre. The event is staged at the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Hall in Thrissur. Legend has it that Tholpavakoothu was performed at the request of Goddess Bhadrakali who could not witness Ravana's (of the mythological Ramayana fame) killing as she was fighting the demon Darika. Thus when the art form is performed in temples, an idol of the Goddess is usually placed on a pedestal in front of the arena where it is staged. Local Over 1500 RELEVANCE- NO. OF PEOPLE (Local / National / International) PARTICIPATED EVENTS/PROGRAMS DESCRIPTION (How festival is celebrated) Documentary Films The Kerala Puppetry Festival is marked by Lecture-Demonstrations colorful performances by traditional and Noolpavakoothu (String Puppetry) contemporary puppet theatres from around Pavakathakali (Glove Puppetry with Kerala. The festival provides a platform to share Kathakali characters) ideas, various techniques and applications in Nokkuvidya (Rod puppetry) puppetry and thereby also educate the public on Contemporary Glove Puppetry) it. Seminars, documentary films and presentations Tholpavakoothu (Shadow puppetry on different Kerala puppetry traditions like shadow puppetry, rod puppetry, glove puppetry, string puppetry etc. are conducted as part of the festival.This includes an exhibition of puppets. Scholars, academicians and puppeteers from different parts of Kerala take part in the festival..