Leather Shadow Puppets

Miniature shadow puppet

These miniature leather shadow puppets are made for children so that they can familiarise themselves with the amazing shadow theatre stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabarata which are central to much of Javanese culture.

To choose a male or female character, please mention it in the Comments section at Check out.

Made of painted leather with a black horn stick, these puppets measure approx 18 cms x 5 cms.

Javanese shadow puppet (Semar)

A very important character in the Javanese shadow theatre, Semar is the father of the four Panakawan - the servants of the hero who are both extremely funny but also wise and perceptive. They can be used to bring all kinds of topical messages to the popular puppet shows.

Semar is said to embody the guardian spirit of Java.

Painted leather and bamboo handles.

Size:  40 cms (including stick) x 17 cms

Sita leather shadow puppet

Sita is the heroine of the Ramayana story.

This puppet is a beauty - in very finely carved and painted thin leather with three pale buffalo horn carved sticks

Size: 36 x 16 cms (excluding sticks)

Rama shadow puppet

Rama is the hero of the Hindu epic tale, the Ramayana. He is the Prince of  Ayodhya and husband of Sita. He wears an intricate crown.

A finely carved and painted thin leather puppet with wooden arm and central sticks.

Size approx: 53 x 27 cms (excluding stick) The length including the stick is 70 cms

Subali shadow puppet

Subali is one of the red monkey twins in the story of the Ramayana Hindu epic tale.

This puppet is old and well used with some repairs. As the monkeys fight in a spectacular fashion during the traditional shadow show, its not surprising that these characters show much wear and tear!

Carved and painted leather with two wooden arm sticks and a central wooden stick with a metal end protector.

Size approx: 52 x 33 cms (excluding stick) The length including the stick is 70 cms

Hanoman shadow puppet

Hanoman is a very famous character - the white monkey who is very wise and the leader of the monkey nation.

This puppet has a tail which winds itself all the way up to the top of his head. He wears the black and white "poleng" cloth - a signifier of spiritual purity.

Carved and painted leather with two wooden arm sticks and a central buffalo horn stick which has been repaired and replaced with bamboo at the top.

Size approx: 51 x 31 cms (excluding stick) The length including the stick is 71 cms

Rahwana shadow puppet

Rahwana is a pretty bad man - it is he who tricks and kidnaps the Princess Sita while Rama is out hunting the golden deer.

This is an impressive but an old puppet with some broken central stick issues

Carved and painted leather with a wooden arm stick and a central buffalo horn stick.

Size approx: 62 x 31 cms (excluding stick) The length including the stick is 85 cms

Sugriwa shadow puppet

Sugriwa is one of the red monkey twins who fights with each other. He has wonderful decorative carved wings, a winding tail and a red face with pointy teeth

A beautiful finely carved and painted leather puppet with three buffalo horn sticks. The central stick is split near the top. 

Size approx: 55 x 35 cms (excluding stick) The length including the stick is 75 cms

Kumbakarna Shadow puppet

This huge puppet is Kumbakarna - the younger brother of Rahwana. Although he is an enormous and pretty fiersome warrior, he is reputed to be of good character.

Made of thick carved leather with two wooden sticks.

Size: 73 x 48 cms excluding the central stick (Length with the stick is 96 cms)

Jatayhu shadow puppet

What a beautiful thing! This large puppet depicts the mythical bird Jatayhu who rescues the Princess Sita from the clutches of Rahwana and flies her back home.

Jatahyu is the nephew of another Javanese mythical bird Garuda. (Also the name of the Indonesian National airline - I always love the thought of flying on Garuda's back across the world back to Java)

Size: 55 x 57 cms (excluding the stick) Length 75 cms including the stick

Set of 33 Turkish shadow puppets

 A set of 33 genuine leather shadow puppets from Istanbul, Turkey used to perform the Hacivat and Karagoz stories. The figures are all around 28 cms tall and all come with a stick which will go into the reinforced leather hole and hold them against a screen

The set consists of:

1. Karagoz
2. Hacivat
3. Karagoz trapped in an earthenware pot
4. Hacivat  with the body of a goat
5. Karagoz with the body of a donkey
6. Hacivat and Karagoz in a rowing boat
7. a male and a female dancer
8. a male musician playing a saz
9. a female musician playing a guitar
10. Husmen the wrestler
11. Rumeli the dwarf
12. a pasha or rich man
13. an opium smoker
14. a naked witch riding on a dragon
15. a gypsy fortune teller
16. a lady with umbrella and veil
17. a woman with tulip (Karagoz's wife)
18. a market seller with paniers
19. a fruit seller with basket
20. a woodcutter with axe
21. a janissary or soldier
22. a night watchman with his lantern
23. a fish seller with 3 fish
24. a camel and an owl
25. a snake and a small dragon
26. 3 elephants - one very large and two small
27. 2 scenery pieces - a traditional house and a lemon tree in a pot