Kosala's Journey to Revive the Once Extinct Madura Shadow Puppetry

"Everything requires practice—from various gamelan music pieces to the many Madura shadow puppet stories," said Kosala.

Kosala recounted that the revival's success owed much to Ki Sudirman’s dedication. According to him, Sudirman’s struggle was extraordinary.

"Ki Sudirman experienced financial hardship because he focused entirely on shadow puppetry. He searched tirelessly for recordings and studied the art his father once mastered," Kosala said.

Preparing the next generation

Now, Madura shadow puppetry is continuously preserved, with successors being prepared to prevent its disappearance again.

The art form is thriving and frequently performs at several universities in East Java.

Since October 2025, Madura shadow puppetry has been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTB).