All about deity, dolls, dishes and decorations during Dasara

 Navarathri is here. Also, the famed festival of dolls is a reason for every one to soak in the joys of festivities.

Apart from the special poojas and preparation of sweets, Dasara in Karnataka is known for the decoration of dolls. The festival is incomplete without the attractively decked up dolls. The families who follow this tradition do it ardently and with great devotion. Every year, the dolls which are preserved and kept safely in boxes, are brought out, wiped clean and organised in beautiful rows. Diyas are lighted and serial lights are hung around where the dolls are kept.

These dolls not only depict the importance of the festival, but also, explain the significance of the Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami celebrations. The dolls explain the nine forms of Durga and the importance of each incarnation of the Goddess. While garbhas and dandiyas form an integral part of Navarathri celebrations in the north, in south, decoration of dolls has been ritually followed since several years.

Families in Malur too are not lagging behind. Several households have turned into dolls’ houses with colourful dolls lined up to narrate a story.

Vijayalakshmi Prakash, who resides at the Gandhi Circle in the town, has been organising the dolls for the last several years. A large number of people visit her house during all 9 days. The traditional Mysuru Dasara dolls are a speciality at Vijayalakshmi’s place. They are not mere dolls, but characters that narrate mythological stories. The dolls tell stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Shri Krishna Leele, Gitopadesha, Jamboo Savari, Dashavatara, etc. The dolls also represent various festivals including the 9-day Brahmotsava, Deepavali, Mysuru Dasara, Ganesha festival, etc.

Apart from this, families have been including a variety of other themes too. Rural backdrop, a green theme stressing the need for environment conservation, urban landscape, dolls that depict various states, land and language, folk tales, folk dances and dramas, various occupations, etc. The themes have been changing with changing times. It also includes the advent of industrialisation, urban lifestyle, and even changing attires too.

The themes might have changed, but the spirit of celebration remains the same, adds Vijayalakshmi.