The word kunuharupa literally translates to “effigies that move.” Unlike the string puppets of Rajasthan or the shadow puppets of Southeast Asia, Sinhala puppets are rod-and-string hybrids, often carved from light wood (kedumber) and elaborately painted. Historical evidence suggests puppetry arrived in Sri Lanka from India via cultural exchange, but by the 18th and 19th centuries, it had evolved into a distinctly Sinhalese tradition—complete with local demons, kings, colonial officers, and village clowns.