Jaipur, Mar 29 (ANI): Puppetry, a traditional art of Rajasthan, which is on the wane, is still enthralling audiences in Jaipur.

Making puppets dance to their tunes is a tough task, which only accomplished artists can perform.

"The most important thing in puppetry is that it is controlled by fingers and only puppetry artistes can do it," said Bhogilal Bhatt, a puppet artiste.

The audiences here were left mesmerised as they watched the artistes twirl around the puppets with consummate ease.

The show captivated both young and old alike as the audience watched in awe.

"Puppets are basically almost like a live performance. It exposes the children to a lot of ideas and imagination. They are a much better, faster and flashier medium. They tell us the story," said Priyanka, an onlooker.

Modern day entertainment options like television, movies, Internet are fast displacing such traditional art forms.

Bollywood songs are now used by the puppet artistes to attract the audiences' attention.

Puppetry or 'Kathputli' as it is known in local jargon, is an ancient traditional art form of the country dating back to the times of Indus valley civilization.

Artistes use handmade puppets in bright coloured costumes to narrate tales of bravery and valour from myth and history.

Puppetry in Rajasthan dates back to thousands of years and is a legacy of the wandering Bhatt community which has been carrying forward this rich heritage of performing art, wandering from village to village, to narrate stories of local heroes and divinities. By Lokendra Singh (ANI)