Leather shadow puppet, 'Immortal Dragon'

Anantaboga appears from the realm of Hindu myth, his fearsome appearance highly decorated as befits a personage of kind heart, for he is a servant of humanity. This giant dragon and his brother Basuki dwell in the underworld, wrapping themselves for support around Bedawang Nala, the world-supporting turtle, to avoid earthquakes. Basuki symbolizes safety and protection, while Anantaboga represents food, shelter, and clothing. Kadek Wira invokes Anantaboga's presence in the form of an imaginative shadow puppet to draw admiration from an unfailing public during the Wayang performance. A puppet to enthrall the admirer of the performing arts. Kadek Wira is a master in the art of Wayang, using shadow puppets to preserve the wisdom of ancient stories like the Mahabharata epic and Ramayana. The process of making a puppet begins with sketching upon cowhide, after which the design is carved, adorned with acrylic paints, and set on a stick made of coffee wood. An intriguing and illustrative glimpse of Balinese culture. Through a ceremony called Wayang Kulit, shadow puppets play a significant role in Balinese moral and spiritual instruction. Puppet masters, or dalangs, reenact Hindu stories and epics, not only controlling the puppet performance but also singing in four different languages and arranging the lighting, usually produced with oil lamps. The dalang's position also requires great endurance, as the Wayang Kulit ceremony generally lasts three to six hours. Includes suar wood and iron stand.