Rūkada Nātya

Rūkada Nātya is Sri Lankan string puppetry, performed with carved wooden figures up to about a metre tall, manipulated on strings from above with live drumming and singing, and drawing on the same repertoire as the folk drama traditions: Jataka stories, historical episodes and comic village plays. The puppets are carved from the same kaduru wood as the masks. Very few troupes remain, and UNESCO inscribed the tradition in 2018.

What you actually see

• The wooden puppets - carved figures up to a metre tall, worked on strings.
• The live accompaniment - drumming and singing performed with the show.
• The repertoire - Jataka tales, historical drama and village comedy.
• The carving - puppets made from kaduru, the same wood as the masks.

When to go

Year round; performances are arranged rather than scheduled and the surviving troupes are few. Ambalangoda is the main centre. Booking well ahead is necessary.

Honest expectations

There is no venue where this is performed on a timetable; seeing it means arranging with a troupe. The number of practising puppeteers is very small, which is why it is on the urgent list. Shows for visitors are shortened.

Nearby

Ambalangoda's mask museums are nearby, and Galle is south.