Amazing Shadows and Puppet Stories!

Once upon a time, there was a talented artist named Rekha Vyas who lived in the busy city of Mumbai. She had a special skill for telling wonderful stories using hand shadows and puppets.

Rekha could create amazing tales just by using her hands and the power of light. Recently, she went to the city of Visakhapatnam and amazed everyone with her enchanting performances.

When the lights dimmed, a small white screen on the stage came alive. It showed shadows of animals in their natural homes, people doing daily activities, and scenes that seemed like they came from storybooks.

Enchanting Shadows

Rekha, who is from Mumbai and is an expert in hand shadowgraphy, held the audience’s attention for two hours during a show organized by GEMS. Hand shadowgraphy is a special art that only a few people in the world can do. It involves making detailed shadow images using only your hands. Rekha, who started an organization called PepUp, explained that it takes many years of practice to become skilled in this amazing art. With just her two hands, a screen, and some light, Rekha creates magical shadows that make characters come alive.
Some important things to know about Rekha are that she learned from a famous hand shadowgraphy artist named Amar Sen in Kolkata. She has performed at important events like the Kala Ghoda Festival in Mumbai and the Sangeet Natak Akademi in the Ministry of Culture Government of India. She has even been on TV shows like Disney and Nickelodeon.
Even though hand shadowgraphy is a unique art, it is currently considered a part of puppetry. Rekha wants to change that and make hand shadowgraphy its own special art form. She believes it deserves recognition from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
During her show in Visakhapatnam, Rekha showed the audience different kinds of puppets, including shadow puppets, string puppets, and muppets. She also organized a workshop where children could make their own puppets. Rekha showed them how to give each puppet its own personality.
Rekha thinks that puppets are important for children’s learning. They help children develop their social and emotional skills. When a puppet becomes part of the classroom, children see it as a friend, which makes it easier for them to interact with others. Rekha has been teaching educators how to use puppets in their classrooms.
Rekha and GEMS are working together to introduce children to different forms of art from a young age. They want to help children be creative, improve their motor skills, and become better problem solvers.