The Rajasthani Puppeteers comprise Harji Bhatt and his three sons, from the province of Rajasthan, where the tradition of puppeteering, called Kathputli, dates back 3000 years.
The puppets are controlled by 10 strings.
"There are only 10 fingers.
"There are 10 strings.
"There are no other countries in the world who do this," Mr Bhatt said.
The puppets are handcrafted by Mr Bhatt and his sons, a skill that has been passed down through his family.
The costumes are sewn by his wife.
One of the puppets Mr Bhatt performs with was crafted by his grandfather.
He was encouraged to play with the puppet as a 12-year-old boy, a prospect that scared Mr Bhatt because of the respect he held for it.
However, his grandfather was more concerned about preserving the traditional art form, which he did not want Mr Bhatt to forget.
Puppets have traditionally been used as a way of sharing popular stories from ancient Indian poems, while educating the audience in social and moral behaviours.
Kailash Bhatt said he "is happy for New Zealand children" to see the performance, and will present stories that explore the Indian traditions of love, rickshaws, belly dancing, snake charming, and Diwali. - Rachel Taylor.
