Bengalureans get creative this Gombe Habba

Bengalureans have put up unusual doll arrangements to mark Gombe Habba this year.

Star show

Prithvi and his mother Sheela Prabhu are displaying miniatures of yesteryear actresses from Kannada cinema at their Thyagaraja Nagar home. This is an extension of the series of pencil sketches Prithvi was making of these actresses  in 2022. “We started modifying Barbie dolls to resemble these artistes,” he shares.

They started by modelling a doll after Kalpana from the song ‘Hadinalku varsha’ from the 1971 film ‘Sharapanjara’. Likewise, dolls on Arathi from the song ‘Bharatha bhooshira’ (‘Upaasane’), Jayaprada from ‘O priyathama’ (‘Kaviratna Kalidasa’), and Sarita-Geetha duo from ‘Neela megha shyama’ (‘Eradu Rekhegalu’) followed. Some dolls are inspired by iconic scenes. This includes Soundarya from ‘Apthamitra’, Manjula from ‘Sampathige Saval’ and B Saroja Devi from ‘Srinivasa Kalyana’.

“My mother sourced fabrics from our neighbours and shops. When similar prints or fabrics were not available, I handpainted the designs to match the song or scene. All the jewellery is also handmade,” says the 23-year-old structural engineering student.

Call 96118 16554 to visit

Moon mission

Teachers of the Sankalpa Montessori and Preschool, Vijayanagar, have crafted scenes from Chandrayaan-3, India’s successful moon mission, as part of their doll display. You will find models of Chandrayaan-3, the lunar surface, and panels explaining the mission’s objectives and significance, shares school principal Jyothi Chetan.

On view until October 26, 6 pm to 7.30 pm. Call 98450 40024

Constitutional values

Reclaim Constitution, an initiative to promote constitutional values, has dedicated its first doll display to the 15 founding women members of the Constituent Assembly. “We have also added a figurine of B R Ambedkar. He is not as widely included as Mahatma Gandhi or Rabindranath Tagore,” says founder Vinay Kumar. To spread the message of secularism, a Christmas Nativity scene, a replica of Kaba from Mecca, and statues of Gommateshwara, Basavanna,and Buddha have also been included. It is on view at Jana Pada Loka, Ramanagara, until November 15 and will be showcased at The Indian Institute of World Culture, Basavanagudi, on October 21 and 22.

Call 94482 74373

Avatars of Lakshmi

Veena Ravindranath has arranged more than 5,000 dolls across two floors at her Basavanagudi home. She has depicted 56 stories revolving around ‘ashtalakshmi’, the eight avatars of Lakshmi.

Call: 98440 96728

Melting pot

HSR Layout resident Sridhar Ramu’s doll display is an ode to India and its people, dancers and musicians. He has depicted Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam,  kuchipudi and kathak dancers, accompanied by Carnatic musicians.

Contact: 98860 31963