Detail, shadow puppet WA507562

Only in Asia is the shadow show still cultivated according to its old traditions, as a heritage deeply rooted in the national culture. Interplay of light and coloured shadows is the strongest aspect of the supernatural and dream-like effect of the shadow play. In a modern world, shadow theatre is losing its importance as a mediator between the gods and men by contrast governments now promote its use as an educational tool to fight illiteracy.

A great variety of puppet styles exist. Brighton Museum's puppets, with articulated limbs, are probably from Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh. A set of Karnataka shadow puppets comprises at least fifty figures. Frequently a puppeteer will own more than one hundred. Puppet size indicates the character's social rank, with the 'holy' figures being the largest, servants the smallest. Several puppets may be needed to portray a single character, e.g. ordinary Hanuman, giant Hanuman, miniature Hanuman, etc.

Performances of puppet shows are given by traditional performing artists from the more than fifty sub-castes of puppeteers and related craftsmen. In most cases the puppeteers are sudras (low caste) or outcastes, because the handling of leather is considered unclean. For the most part puppeteers are trained by oral tradition, by assisting their parents, by observation, and injunction. There are some areas where master-artists subsidised by the Indian government offer training to puppeteers. These centres are rarely well endowed.