Buta Bommalu is a Puppet Show Dance form popular in the Tanuku district of Andhra Pradesh. Tanuku is a popular place of the West Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.
The Puppets are made out of Bamboo stripes that are used mainly for making baskets and made in the shape of large baskets. Performers or Dancers enter inside this puppet basket and dance to the tune of the music.
The baskets will be approximately eight feet high. Dancing with a tall structure like this is very difficult. The Puppet figures are connected with the dancers by means of a string tied around the shoulder and waist of the dancer. Dancers wear masks of different characters.
Buta Bommalu is performed mainly during festival seasons especially religious ones. The figures resemble deities and stories as based on religious scripts. Other folk stories also are depicted through this dance form.
