Paper turns into artefact

The exhibits across Mahila Dasara drawing huge crowds

Meet Kavitha Rani who has been adept in making dancing dolls using paper mache, from the past 10 years. Kavitha Rani is participating in the exhibition organised as part of Mahila Dasara that was inaugurated at J K Grounds in the city on Wednesday.

Explaining about the methods used in doll making, Kavitha said pieces of paper will be soaked in water for two to three hours. It will be later mixed with fenugreek seeds, porridge and chalk powder. They will be later filled into different moulds of dolls and painted in the final stages.

Initially Kavitha was practicing this particular type of art as a hobby. It didn’t take much time for her to find herself obsessed with it. She founded Manju Arts and Crafts, V V Puram in Bangalore stepping into the world of artisans.

“My hands are full with orders for lotus made of paper mache flooding during Varamahalakshmi festival”, said Kavitha. Majority of the dolls are dancing dolls made in Tanjore style, followed by ‘Keelu Kudure’ and workmanship of cobblers, potter, weavers, musical instruments etc.,

At first sight, the dolls look like clay models, such is it’s perfectness. For Kavitha it’s her second visit to the city after an exhibition she took part in JSS Urban Haat five years ago. The dolls are priced in the range of Rs 200 and above, said Kavitha. She has exhibited her talent in the exhibitions at Agra and Gwalior too.

Move a stall further at the expo, you will find Kabbali Bai, president of Chethana Havyasi Balaga, Kolipalya, Chamarajanagar district, with hand made products using clothes like bags, vests, mobile pouches, purses and others.

Similarly you can find about 40 women self help groups from Dharwad to Kodagu districts displaying products like sarees, imitation jewellery, honey, Channapatna dolls, solar products to name a few. The exhibition will be open till October 15.