The annual exhibition-cum-sale of ‘kolu’ dolls opened ahead of the Navarathri festival at the Poompuhar showroom of the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation in the city on Friday.
Celebrating the 49th anniversary of the exhibition in Tiruchi, the showroom has an array of kolu dolls including Gods and Goddess, both individual and sets, and also special dolls featuring traditional and modern games and spots including cricket. The prices of the dolls range from ₹50 to ₹50,000.
To cater to the varied tastes of customers, dolls have also been brought in from Calcutta, Manipur, Rajasthan, Odisha, Karnataka and even Andhra Pradesh.
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Last year, the showroom sold dolls worth ₹ 20 lakh during the exhibition, while this year, they are looking to exceed the figure, officials at the showroom said. The exhibition at the showroom at Singarathope will go on till October 31, including Sundays.
District Collector S. Sivarasu inaugurated the exhibition on Saturday and urged the public to patronise the products of the TN Handicrafts Development Corporation as the dolls are made by traditional artisans in rural and urban areas across the State and purchasing their products would support their livelihood. R. Gangadevi, showroom manager, and other shop officials were present at the event.