Rukada Natya is a type of puppet drama that was traditionally performed to provide light entertainment and to teach moral lessons in village communities.
A wide variety of stories are told, including folktales, Buddhist stories, ancient literature, historical narratives, and trivia with a humorous anecdote from modern life or nadagam, an extinct form of opera based on folklore. During puppet shows, puppeteers recite handwritten scripts of dialogues and songs while manipulating wooden puppets.
Through puppet drama and the support of a small band, worldviews and core values essential for peaceful communal coexistence are brought alive for young people in an easy-to-understand way. This is a powerful tool for conveying messages crucial for maintaining cohesiveness among community members, and it also allows community members to have fun together and socialize.
It is unclear who brought the art to Sri Lanka several centuries ago, but researchers believe that migrant families from the southern or south-western coastal areas of India were responsible. Natya is performed by the Gamwari lineage, or by groups of families who are related to the Gamwari lineage. Today you can see the art form in the south coast towns of Ambalangoda, Balapitiya, and Mirissa, the Rukada.
Master puppeteers carve the puppet parts from wood, polished, painted, and stitched together the body parts, while women in the family made the costumes, dressed the puppets, and applied makeup and other decorations. The puppeteers prepare their scripts based on Buddhist jataka stories, historical narratives, or contemporary events that are sourced from the temple premises or other public spaces that are easily accessible to rural communities.
Museums play an important role in the dissemination of related knowledge, as do performances held at temple premises, and traditional community centers in Sri Lankan culture, during festive times in May and June.
Through the performances, which contain didactic messages and innocuous humor, community members can laugh together, share, and relax together, thereby helping them socialize and connect, strengthen social bonds, and build connections. As a result of these reasons, as well as many others, Sri Lankans regard Rukada Natya as one of the country's intangible cultural heritages.
Today small permanent stages can be found in Amabalangoda's tourist spots, as well as in some private homes of still active puppeteer families. Marionettes now perform mostly on small movable stages made from bamboo, wood, and curtains. From behind a curtain or a backdrop that hangs behind the stage, the puppeteers manipulate the marionettes.