Tholu Bommalatha

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Shop hand-painted Tholu Bommalatha décor online — trays, tea coasters, tissue boxes and bookmarks carrying the visual language of Andhra Pradesh's leather shadow-puppet tradition into everyday objects. Tholu Bommalatha, literally "leather puppet dance," is a centuries-old craft historically used for shadow theatre performance; here it's translated into flat, brightly coloured motifs — peacock, elephant, and floral patterns lead the range — hand-painted onto narrow trays, round and square coasters, and family tissue boxes. A set of three hand-painted spatula wall pieces and a wide range of bookmarks round out the collection. This collection also carries a small number of Kerala Mural, Kalamkari and Phad pieces alongside the core Tholu Bommalatha range, so it's worth browsing as an Andhra-craft-led collection rather than a single-art-form page. Trays and coasters suit the dining table, tissue boxes and the spatula set work as a kitchen accent, and bookmarks make an easy, affordable gifting or return-gift piece.

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Tholu Bommalata is Andhra Pradesh's traditional shadow puppet theatre — its name is Telugu for "the dance of leather puppets," and its roots trace back to the Satavahana era. Traditional puppets were carved from leather — antelope, spotted deer, or goat hide, depending on the character — then painted in bold, translucent colour to cast vivid silhouettes onto a lit screen during performance. Today the craft is centred in Nimmalakunta village, and its influence reached far beyond Andhra Pradesh: Tholu Bommalata is credited with shaping Indonesia's Wayang shadow-puppet tradition, which UNESCO recognises as Intangible Cultural Heritage. EthniiChic translates that same puppet-art palette and figure style — bold outlines, peacocks, florals, and mixed motifs — onto everyday wooden pieces rather than performance puppets themselves.

Trays and Coasters — The Puppet's Colour Palette, on a Tabletop

The largest group here is trays and coasters — peacock, floral, elephant, and mixed-motif designs across narrow and round formats. These carry Tholu Bommalata's bold, high-contrast colour work into daily use, the same visual energy the original leather puppets had when lit from behind on a performance screen.
Shop Trays → · Shop Coasters →

Tissue Boxes — Andhra Folk Art for Everyday Rooms

The peacock and multicolour tissue boxes bring the same motif set into a functional family-size format, built for daily handling rather than display.
Shop Tissue Holders →

Bookmarks — The Most Affordable Way Into the Tradition

At ₹300 each, the peacock and floral bookmarks are the lowest-commitment way to own a piece of Tholu Bommalata's visual language — small, giftable, and easy to collect across colourways.
Shop Bookmarks →

Choosing Where to Start

If you want a functional centrepiece, start with a tray. If you want something for daily use at a lower price point, the coasters or tissue box are built for that. If you're gifting on a budget, a few bookmarks in different colourways make an easy, considered small gift.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Tholu Bommalata?
Andhra Pradesh's traditional shadow puppet theatre, with roots tracing back to the Satavagana era. The name is Telugu for "the dance of leather puppets" — traditional puppets were carved from leather and painted to cast vivid silhouettes during performance.

2. Where is Tholu Bommalata practised today?
The craft is centred in Nimmalakunta village, Andhra Pradesh.

3. Did Tholu Bommalata influence puppet traditions outside India?
Yes. It's credited with shaping Indonesia's Wayang shadow-puppet tradition, which UNESCO recognises as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

4. What kinds of products can I find in this collection?
Mostly trays, tea coasters, and tissue boxes, plus bookmarks — Tholu Bommalata's bold, high-contrast puppet-art colour palette applied across everyday wooden formats.

5. Are these pieces hand-painted or printed?
Hand-painted, individually, by EthniiChic's studio artists — no two pieces are painted with identical brushwork, even within the same design.

6. What's the price range across this collection?
From ₹300 for a bookmark to ₹1,550 for a narrow or peacock tray.

7. Do you ship Tholu Bommalata pieces internationally for NRI buyers?
Yes, across the full collection. Write to contactus@ethniichic.com before ordering to confirm shipping rates and delivery timelines for your country.

8. Can I order a custom or bulk Tholu Bommalata piece?
Yes. Custom motifs and bulk or corporate gifting orders — including matched tray, coaster, and bookmark sets — can be arranged through Commission Artwork or Contact Us.