Labhpur Correspondent:

Birbhum Sanskriti Bahini’s unique puppet-theatre production “Manab Putul” (Human Puppet) has achieved international recognition and earned a World Record.

The play was created on 14 September 2007 by Birbhum Sanskriti Bahini. Written and directed by Ujjal Mukhopadhyay, the production featured performances by Alok Das and Abha Ghosh.

The story was based on themes from Mansamangal, incorporating elements of traditional Bengali folk culture, music, and the distinctive style of puppet-inspired theatrical performance.

For the past 16 years, the play has been staged continuously in a wide variety of locations. Performances have taken place:

• From villages to metropolitan cities
• Across different parts of India
• In states such as Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Meghalaya, and others

The article reports that on 1 March, during the Sanskriti Darshan Festival organized by the Indian Vidya Bhavan and UNESCO Bangalore, the production received special recognition.

The achievement relates to the play’s distinction as one of the longest-running and most extensively performed human-puppet theatrical productions. Documentation and evidence relating to the production’s performances were reviewed by an international record-verification body.

After examining records connected with more than 400 performances, the achievement was officially recognized and recorded.

The article states that the recognition was presented at Rabindra Natya Griha, Bengaluru, under the supervision of an Indian representative of the record organization. At the closing ceremony of the festival, the certificate was formally handed over to the organization.

The recognition was received by Sujata Mahajan, Chairperson of the festival organizing committee.

According to the report, in 2023, Birbhum Sanskriti Bahini’s “Manab Putul” secured a place in the records of the international world-record organization, bringing distinction to the organization and to the cultural heritage of Birbhum.