The lead puppeteer is usually a '' pulavar '' which is an honorific given to a puppeteer who is also a scholar . Pulavars undergo intensive training in puppetry and have a deep knowledge of Malayalam , Tamil and Sanskrit . Puppeteers have to study the Kamba Ramayana and be well read in the vedas and puranas , Ayurveda , and be trained in classical music . However , some puppeteers forgo classical music as it entails several years of study to master . It can take anywhere from 6 to 10 years of rigorous training for a puppeteer to fully master this art and be able to perform it . Tholpavakoothu , like many traditional art forms , has been facing the threat of extinction due to the arrival of alternate platforms of entertainment such as television and cinema and due to changing cultural values . The younger generation have increasingly failed to take up this art form as it is highly demanding and does not pay much . The audience for these shows have dwindled even in rural Kerala . To cope up with these social changes , the duration of many performances have been drastically reduced . Thematically , puppeteers have begun to introduce contemporary and secular themes to appeal to the youth . Themes such as ragging , communal amity and stories from India 's freedom struggle have been featured in recent years . Performances are no longer confined only to temples but are also held in secular venues such as colleges and at the International Film Festival of Kerala
International Film Festival of Kerala
International Film Festival of Kerala
Tholpavakoothu