Weeks of preparations and meticulous planning culminate in the ten-day Dasara festival at the homes of many Bangaloreans every year. With the intention of making it bigger and better every year, many go to great lengths to set up elaborate doll displays based on various themes.
Display
From theme-based displays that tell mythological stories to simple ones that are embellished with homemade decorations, this festival is a feast for the eyes.
As Carnatic songs fill K. Krishnan’s home in Banashankari, he tells us about his family’s 17-year-tradition that just got bigger with the display taking up two nine-step stands.
Preparation
“My whole family participates in the planning and execution of the festival,” says the 50-year-old. His wife Sumathi Krishnan began preparations for the doll display two weeks ago. “The preparation included making dresses for the dolls and buying new dolls for our theme this year: ‘Puranas and Ithihasas’,” says Mr. Krishnan. His family’s doll collection exceeds 500 and they invested Rs. 7,000 on a new doll collection this year. Asha and her husband Janardhana Raju, who have set aside about Rs. 5,000 for kolu dolls alone this year, have narrowed down on a Kubera set for their home.
“We want to introduce our children to mythological stories and characters. We are still looking for a set that will teach our children a thing or two about life,” says Mr. Raju, a resident of Chandra Layout.
Little Spoorthi (10), was seen walking up and down Malleswaram 8th Cross on Sunday afternoon with her parents, grandmother and younger brother in search of a park that she wants for her first ‘bombe’.
Excitement
“I have seen so many shops in this row. This one shop seems to have what I am looking for,” she says as the shopkeeper fetches her park set. Being her first bombe, Spoorthi is excited about how she is going to set up her display. Sharing her excitement are her parents and grandmother who are doing everything to please Spoorthi, but the discussion about the sanctioned amount for the dolls is yet to be settled. Spoorthi is expecting her parents to shell out more than Rs. 1,000 for her, while her father is trying to bring it to down to just Rs. 500.
