Teachers visit to the ISHARA puppet festival, 2017.

The puppet is an emotion A direct feeling, a metaphor An image that communicates The puppet moves us, We dont move it Martha Graham. A puppet festival organised at the India International Centre on 6th February 2017 opened our eyes to the fascinating fact that we can actually use puppets to teach in the classroom! Puppets are child-friendly. If coupled with imagination, they can enable us to greatly liven up the ' less animated' topics of study. We are already familiar with puppets being used at story-telling sessions to animate stories. But did you know puppets can also be used to teach topics in science and math as well? [gallery link="file"] The puppet display at the Ishara Puppet Festival 2017 was wonderfully innovative. The puppets had been created from material such as used umbrellas, old towels, rags and even shoes. It was a delight to view the novel and manifold ways in which these puppets had been crafted. In fact, some of the puppets were so creatively made that they seemed like they might step out of their displays at any moment! With passing time, every art form grows in one way or another. Puppet art is also an art form which needs to evolve. It needs to be kept alive. So what better way to help it expand its application than by using it as a tool for education? So that children not only learn in a more child-friendly manner but it also helps sustain the craft. The event also enabled us interact with the artisans who had created the puppets and who spontaneously shared their skills and techniques with us. A delightful exhibit and well-worth a visit! Ms. Pooja Madan.