The figurines and dolls carefully wrapped and kept in vintage trunk boxes are taken out of the lofts. A few get a fresh coat of paint before finding the right spot on the racks arranged for ‘Bommala koluvu’. As Dasara festivities begin, women gear up to exhibit their prized possessions collected and kept in treasure troves for years. Though decade-old dolls form a major part of the collection, new ones also find a place during the festivities.
From mythological chapters to ‘Nadaswara kacheris’ and temple settings, the themes of ‘Bommala Koluvu’ have gone beyond the mundane concepts. “It is essential to bring in newer elements to the process and keep the display as interesting as possible. Arranging dolls during the Navaratri is a ritual that helps us revive the ancient practice followed for years and to pass on the family’s tradition to the next generation. I have learnt the art from my mother-in-law and have taught the same to my daughter-in law too,” says Prabha Raghavan, a homemaker.
Besides an array of Gods and goddesses, a couple selling organic millets, rice and pulses, hundred-year-old bronze idol and the ‘Temple of Seven Hills, ‘Ashta Lakshmi’ set, Kanaka Mahalakshmi along with the items used for abhishekam ritual at her home lend a divine touch. Though a number of new themes keep finding a place in the ‘koluvu’, some popular dolls continue to stay. “For instance, the ‘Dasavatharam’ set, goddesses ‘Raja Rajeswari’, ‘Saraswati’, eight forms of ‘Lakshmi’ and ‘Durga’ and idols of Ganesh, Krishna and Balaji are kept as part of the annual feature. This year, I have introduced tribal dolls and porcelain figurines sourced from Rajamahendravaram. Besides chapters of the Ramayana, this time I want to depict our cultural life through the setting,” says G. Shanti, a resident of Nowroji Road. Those who have been following the ritual of arranging dolls say that the nine-day celebration provides them an opportunity to educate the little ones about the community helpers and ancient grinding stones that served as their grandmas’ oldest gym equipment to stay fit.
Cultural show
As part of the Dasara festivities, Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj, a socio-cultural organisation of Odias, is celebrating the festival from October 6 to 11. Members of the samaj along with their children will present a cultural show on October 9. On October 10, a troupe from the Department of Culture, Odisha, will be entertaining the audience with dance performances.
