Century-old dolls on display

JP Nagar resident treasures a gombe set passed on by his grandmother

With Gombe Habba in full swing, residents across the city have decked up their homes with colourful dolls.

Techie Parameswaran R, a resident of JP Nagar, is one such doll enthusiast.

“My fascination started when I was very young. Every summer vacation, my grandmother used to give me dolls from her collection,” he says. The dolls have now been passed on to the fourth generation.

Hailing from Tirupati, he has called Bengaluru home for the past 15 years. “Traditions from both cities have been adapted in my home and in the doll display,” he says.

The oldest dolls in his collection are over a hundred years old. “Every year I go to to Kanchipuram to get at least one set of new dolls. This year, due to the pandemic, it wasn’t possible,” he says.

He has modified the lighting around the doll display as he was keen on having a new element.

He says his son, Avaneesh, takes up an active role in helping him set up the display. “He helps in the construction of the steps and the setting up of the dolls. It’s a great opportunity to explain the stories that are associated with each doll,” Parameswaran says.

To him, that is the main appeal of the festival. “It allows you to pass on traditions and customs with a multitude of visual aids. This holds the attention of the next generation,” he explains.