Joe Louis Puppet Theatre : “the Birth of Ganesha” the Best Performance Award 2008

On 2 June 2008, a mesmerizing performance, “the Birth of Ganesha”, by the Thai Puppet troupe (Joe Louis Puppet Theatre), won the Best Performance Award, the highest acclaim of this year, at the 12th World Festival of Puppet Art 2008, held in Prague, the Czech Republic, with 25

troupes from 17 countries competing in the final round।

This is the second award that the troupe received after winning “the Best Traditional Performance” Award in 2006।

The show narrates the birth of “Ganesha”, a Hindu god of success and arts and about the struggle to maintain peace in the three terrains of the earth according to Hindu cosmology।

The Joe Louis puppet play is performed by each puppet being controlled jointly by three puppeteers with all of whom appearing on stage with the puppet thereby creating highly animated, life-like movements। This enables the puppets to move or dance gracefully.

The Joe Louis Puppet Theatre is the only troupe of Thai theatrical puppeteers in existence। The performance is a showcase for Thailand’s cultural heritage and reflects the unstinting efforts of the troupe to preserve this exotic art form।

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Interested persons should make reservations in advance, tel. 0 2252 9683 to 4., 0 2252 5227 to 9 #101-104
Show time
Daily 19.30 - 21.00 hrs.
Ticket fee
Adults and children (over 120 cm height): 900 BChildren (not over 120 cm height): 300 B
Buses
50, 14, 47, 17, 115
BTS Skytrain
Saladaeng station, then bus no. 115
MRT Metro
Silom station, then bus no. ११५

Ganesh Symbolism

Ganesha Curses the Moon

Ganesha Curses the Moon :
One day while travelling round the universe on his rat, Ganesha came to Chandraloka (the realm of the Moon). The Moon saw him. The Moon, very handsome, was proud of his appearance. On seeing the elephantfaced, big-bellied Ganapati riding on a rat, he- laughed at Ganesha with contempt.This was an insult and Ganesha was very angry about the Moon. His eyes grew red. He pronounced a curse "Oh Moon, your handsome appearance has made you too vain. Fool, I am worshipped in all the worlds, but you laugh at me. Receive now the fruits of your foolish pride. Let your beauty, which is the cause for your arrogance and ignorance vanishing! From now on, whoever sees you on the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada month, the day of my birth, will suffer because of unjust accusations."The curse shattered the Moon's pride. He realized his mistake, and felt sorry. Standing devotedly with folded hands before Ganesha he prayed to him. "Sir, forgive me and my ignorance. Take back the curse and protect me."Then the kind Ganesha grew calm. He consoled the unhappy Moon. He said, "मून , you have realized your fault. What is important is the destruction of your pride. Anyhow, my curse cannot be in vain. But those who are subjected to false accusations will be saved and regain their good name if they see you on the second day of the bright fortnight also or listen to the story of the Syamantaka gem." The मून : was satisfied.