‘Pulling strings’ for election awareness: Puppetry turns heads in poll-bound Tripura

The team was playing out a puppet theatre piece to explain the need for a free and fair election. It appealed to voters to report any malpractices to the Election Commission of India on the C-Vigil App or helpline. The performance got Anu Miah so fixated that he was seen nodding in agreement as a recording played in a loop on a loudspeaker aboard the van.

Anu Miah told indianexpress.com, “They are telling the truth. If someone comes to give us money or buy our votes, we shall have to inform the Election Commission or other officers.” While he does not have a smartphone, he says he can use the helpline or call the police station. An elated Anu said seeing puppetry again after a long time on the streets was nice.

A group of puppeteers staging a street performance near the Nagerjala motor stand. (Express Photo)

Anup Deb, a driver from Kathaltali village on the outskirts of Agartala, who came with his jeep to the Nagerjal motor stand to get passengers, said he heard the awareness jingle playing on mike and came to hear. “I liked it. I think if they do it in the villages near Kathaltali, where I live, villagers will like it,” he said.

Suman Sarkar, 22, an assistant at a local shop, hails from Bishalgarh in the Sepahijala district. He and many others like him who gathered to see the puppets dance and give out the message also had the same reaction.

Riman Das and Sanjay Das, the puppeteers who actually “pulled the strings” for the 6:40-minute production, said they had held six puppetry shows like this one at Unakoti, Dhalai, North Tripura, Khowai and West Tripura districts till now. They would now cover Sepahijala, Gomati and South Tripura districts with similar performances.

“We have appealed to voters not to fall prey to doles or any offers and that they can lodge complaints with the ECI. We got an excellent reaction, especially in North Tripura, where people would often come and ask us for more details,” they said.

“We got a man asking us to do it again at Manikbhandar village in Dhalai district. Sometimes people ask to do it again in the evening at the local markets. Overall, villages have a better response since people respond better there,” they said.

The puppet theatre staged for the ECI was scripted by the CBC, and Tripura Puppet Theatre chief Prabhitangshu Das directed it. Riman and Sanjay Das made and manipulated the puppets on the ground.

Tripura will go to polls on February 16. The counting of votes will be held on March 2.