A Bommalattam puppet, like this one from the troupe of Mr. M.R. Ranganatha Rao from Bangalore, is not strictly a marionette since it has detachable rod attachments as well as three strings. The strings are fixed to the puppet's head, along with a wooden knob, which helps the puppeteer to move the puppet when not performing. The name comes from the words bomma, or doll, and lattam, meaning dance.

The puppets are made of light wood, which is hollowed out. The head and torso are separate, but the head is not articulated. The puppets have movable arms, jointed at the shoulder, elbow and wrist with knotted string. The puppets have no legs, but a long skirt often made from a complete length of sari to give it a full appearance. Originally Bommalattam performances took place in the open, without a stage, when the feet of the puppeteer would become those of the puppet, showing from under its long skirt.

Ranganatha Rao's troupe, which performed at the Hyderabad Puppet Festival in the 1986, consisted of nine members, mostly from the same family. Three men manipulated the puppets, whilst a girl helped attach rods and pass the puppets to the operators during the performance. The storyteller, or Bhagavata, sang througout the performance and sat with the musicians - a drummer, a violinist and a harmonium player - behind the stage. He was joined at times by a female singer who sang the female parts. Sometimes the puppeteers themselves would speak on behalf of their puppets.