Coimbatore college does its bit to keep golu dolls from crumbling

COIMBATORE: Golu exhibitions, or displays of dolls on steps, filled homes during Navrathri but cultural experts say that the craft of making traditional dolls and earthen artifacts is vanishing.
"We are living in stage of transition where dolls and artifacts that were earlier made of materials such as clay are being replaced with plastic," said Visalakshi Rajeswari S, a professor of the resource management department of Avinashilingam University."Dolls that were made by hand 15 years ago are now mass produced by machines. So, there has been a drastic drop in the number of people who know this art form," she said.
With golu exhibits becoming popular during Navratri, Visalakshi Rajeswari S, a professor of the resource management department talks to TOI about the vanishing art of doll-making and earthen artifacts.
Visalakshi and her colleagues and students displayed a golu along with an exhibit showcasing Indian architecture. Their display had dolls that had been collected over 50 years by the university and its teachers. It had more than 800 dolls, and the golu covered collections from Japan and the US. "When staff go abroad, they usually bring back dolls and artifacts from the country they visit. We preserve and display them every year," said Visalakshi.
The dolls and artifacts point to the traditions and culture of the countries they come from. The main attraction though is the Indian gods and goddesses made from clay and the earthen dolls that depict the diversity of Indian traditions and culture.
The professor has travelled across the country and has been collecting dolls from every place she visits. "Temples and famous tourist locations in Tamil Nadu no longer sell dolls that depict our culture and tradition," she said. "It is not just mud dolls that are vanishing, but also idols made from brass, bronze and other materials. We are losing traditional art forms," she said.
The students pitched in to help put up the exhibit. Linda Rojoy, a first year MSc student, said, "Being involved in putting up the exhibit helps me learn about the traditions and cultures of different countries." The faculty of resource management also discussed the lack of awareness about Indian architecture. "The state government should take efforts to preserve techniques to produce traditional art," said Chitra Prakash, a professor of the department.