Arghya Training Academy and Puppet Theatre

Hum Kya Karenge a table top puppetry.

We in Arghya believe that human beings are defined by stories. The narratives that define us determine how we relate to the world and help us understand how we reach out to others and finally with ourselves.
We perform stories with heart beats.
We have performed Hum Kya Karenge in Mussoorie in October 2024 twice, in Indore at The Tranquility centre, in Vidhya Sagar School, St. Vincent Paloti School, Holy Cross School, Catalyst World School, Shri Vaishnav School and at our Arghya Puppet Theatre many times since April 2024.
Hum Kya Karenge is a story which presents a conflict between man and nature. Mankind has always caused harm to nature without realising that it is causing more harm to the human race. Can’t we all just live in peace and coexist with nature. The discussion is never ending but we need to take steps how small they may be. We as humans need to understand that we are not the most important species on earth.

When I met Sati a tabletop puppet show.

This story expression is very close to feelings of a common married Indian woman. Where she has left her father’s house but her heart still dwells there. She misses her mother and siblings, she misses the place where she grew up, she misses the father’s shoulder which blessed her. The heroine of our show is having an internal conversation with herself, the puppeteer is her inner voice which helps her to get through the situation she is facing. This doesn’t mean that the character of puppeteer is the guiding light but rather the little Sati who is suppressed by the society’s expectations and love which imposes boundaries on her.
The show also shows how patriarchy is a part of Indian society since ages. But yes the inner voice and the main character Sati takes up the story to a whole new level where they find themselves together and walk towards a new tomorrow.

In these challenging times of dominating multinational corporations, collapsing neo-liberal economies and the commodification of everything, it seems vital to explore a different form of relationship and exchange.
Engaging in gift culture transforms our understanding of self and nature by reminding us that we are being given gifts all the time from Homi economics to Homi gifts. We are able to recognise and revalue our own gifts as well as those of others on our own terms.
The story line is very simple but a key to sustainable living and real happiness in the planet. The narratives are revolving around the happening of Hazel’s journey of gift exchanges. She walks through the world with the spirit of whatever we have been given is supposed to be given away and not kept steady. The gift must always move.
Let’s celebrate the gift culture reclamation with the table top puppet show using Bunraku technique a Japanese art form for making puppets by Arghya Puppeteer.

Everyone knows the story of Mahabharat, as in India, it is a well-known Hindu epic which no one has read but have encountered or heard through bits and pieces or watched on screen. The play helps youth to reflect on their roles and radically redefine it.
The story of Karna is, in essence tragedy. From the time of his birth, he is wounded by circumstances beyond his control. His story is also one of sacrifice, of courage in the face of adversity. It is a cautionary tale about what happens to the meritorious in system that misuses power.
The most unidentified part is Karna worked hard to master his capabilities. But it was soured by all the humiliation he received. At many places it seemed as if he was living only for the fame he would like to have after he dies. He always looked for validations from others. The Puppet show gives a very powerful message to audience, regarding how they can acknowledge one’s own svabhaava rather seeking approval or acceptance from others

The show is derived from the real incidence which took place in a small village PLACHIMADA, of Keral state of India.
The Plachimada movement, also known as the Anti-Coca-Cola campaign, was a series of protests against the Coca-Cola factory in the village of Plachimada, Kerala, India in the early 2000s:
The Coca-Cola factory was established in 2000, and villagers soon noticed that their wells ran dry and the water became contaminated. The factory also passed off its waste as fertilizer to local farmers.
Villagers formed the "Coca-Cola Virudha Janakeeya Samara Samithy" to fight for the closure of the factory. The protests included burning effigies of Coca-Cola and rallies. The Coca-Cola factory was shut down, but the company refused to pay compensation. The villagers continue to demand compensation for their losses.
The Plachimada movement is considered one of the most studied corporate controversies in recent times. It exemplifies the impact of economic c