No Dasara is complete without Gombe Habba, the festival of dolls. It’s a time-honoured tradition where dolls of all varieties — mud, brass, wood and even cloth — are displayed. And this season, handcrafted Channapatna wooden dolls are in demand, especially among non-resident Indians.
A majority of the customers are NRIs from the U.S. and the U.K. who are seeking dolls that are handcrafted the traditional way and not mass produced, say artists. “There are merely 200 artisans who practise the traditional lathe making and use original lacquer-ware, a craft that is protected as a geographical indication,” said designer Atul Johri, who is based out of Channapatna and works with local artists.
However, such dolls come at a steep price during Dasara. While on a recent trip to Bengaluru, M. Raghava, who teaches anthropology in the U.S., ordered a set of four Channapatna dolls for Rs. 4,200. “We also paid Rs. 17,800 for a set of 150 mud dolls” he said.
Many handicraft emporiums in the State have started shipping orders. “We have NRIs who order them during Dasara. I think it’s nostalgia that drives the demand,” says Kiran Grandhi from Raaga Arts at Jayanagar.
Varna, a handicraft store in Malleswaram, has noted a demand for Channapatna dolls among the NRIs. “Forty per cent of our customers are not from India. Our bestseller is ‘Jathre’ a five-piece set which costs Rs. 2,000,” said proprietor R.N. Arun Kumar. “NRIs place orders for doll sets that can easily be shipped and Channapatna dolls are light but sturdy.”
But the price rise is seasonal and artisans often do not benefit from this. Consider Mr. Johri’s example of the market chain: if a Channapatna artisan gets Rs. 100 per doll, the doll commands a price depending on the market demand and the distance travelled. The price in Bengaluru would be approximately Rs. 700, but in the export market, that same doll can retail at Rs. 3,000. “It’s an unorganised market, with an abundance of middlemen calling the shots,” Mr. Johri added.
And after Dasara, the prices fall drastically as does demand.
Seasonal demand
for the handcrafted wooden dolls
is mostly from
non-resident Indians
