For Suma Krishna, a home-maker from Kuvempunagar here, dolls are a passion. Come Dasara, she rejoices keeping her much-loved dolls, with a new theme every year, and invites people to experience the tradition of ‘Bombe Habba’, which is practised in most households here as part of Navaratri festivities.
Ms. Suma has been celebrating ‘Bombe Habba’ for 30 years at her home near Gnana Ganga School in Kuvempunagar.
So far, she has a collection of 10,000 dolls. Ms. Suma says she learnt the art of doll keeping from her mother, who too was an ardent doll enthusiast.
“Not saris, but I go in search of lovely dolls whenever I’m on a tour. I make it a point to buy dolls and add to my collection,” she says. Ms. Suma has created Chamundi Hills, Uttanahalli village (which is located on the foothills of Chamundi to portray a rural setting), Devi Kere (located atop Chamundi Hills), and Jungle Safari with many miniature wild animals from African native.
“This year, my theme is on Lord Krishna. Last year, it was Ramayana. I choose my theme months before and accordingly focus on collecting the dolls for arrangement. I need at least 15 days to arrange the dolls before the festivities begins,” says Ms. Suma, who has developed an expansive garden which is also adorned by dolls.
A Bonsai specialist, she has a collection of dolls from Japan where she had been recently. “I try to avoid repetitions. There are dolls from the traditions of various States in my collection,” she says.
Ms. Suma also inspires others by gifting them dolls to continue with the tradition. Her arrangement of dolls as part of Dasara procession is unrestrained. It is perhaps one of the biggest collections, which includes the palace, the elephants, the Ambari and much more.
A mother of two, Ms. Suma says her daughter assists her in coming up with ideas for doll-keeping. Every year, she invites children from a school to get a glimpse of her collection.
