<p>Inspired by Wodeyars</p>.<p>Sudarshan N, whose family hails from Domlur village, shares that they have been keeping the tradition alive for over four generations. “My great-grandfather’s father worked for the Wodeyars and he picked up this tradition from them,” says the 29-year-old entrepreneur. His great grandparents lived in a house shared by five families and the gombe tradition was always the highlight of the season. </p>.<p>Traditionally a new set of dolls are added to the collection every year. Sudarshan’s display currently has 400 dolls and they depict scenes such as the Mysuru Dasara featuring miniature replicas of the palace, Mysuru circle and Chamundi devi. The display also includes scenes depicting markets, grocery stores, poets and freedom fighters. The wooden couple dolls — Raja-Rani — remain the focus.</p>.<p><strong>120-year-old porcelain, silver articles </strong></p>.<p>The dolls in Padma Udayakumar’s collection have been passed down through two generations. Around 500 dolls are displayed in her living room this season, about 30 of which are heirloom pieces that belonged to her maternal grandmother. The display includes four pairs of ‘pattada gombe’: one passed down by her grandmother, one gifted by her mother and another by her mother-in-law, and one bought by Padma herself.</p>.<p>“The display also includes around 15 silver articles, which are encased in glass,” says Padma. These include miniatures of pooja items such as a panchapatra (sacred vessel), a kajal box, a flower basket, and betel leaf with two bananas.</p>.<p>Alongside these are about 10 porcelain dolls depicting cows with their calves, which also belonged to her grandmother. “All the heirloom dolls, which are over 120 years old, are stored in an almirah,” she adds.</p>.<p><strong>Glassware, sandalwood pieces</strong></p>.<p>Nandini R grew up in a family that displayed gombe during Navratri and married into one that upheld the same tradition. Today, the Banashankari resident has about 40 heirloom dolls from both sides of the family, along with more than 50 she has collected herself. The oldest in her collection is a dancing doll made from mud. “My daughter is 16 and just as interested in gombe (display),” says the product architect. From her mother, Nandini inherited Channapatna pieces depicting village life, such as vegetable vendors and a woman carrying a pot of water. From her mother-in-law, she received more Channapatna work besides porcelain figurines.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She also has glassware and sandalwood pieces. Among the oldest heirlooms is a pair of clay birds belonging to her husband’s great-grandparents, believed to be more than 60 years old. “This year, I added a Dashavatara set in a black-stone finish, the Akshaya Patra scene, and one more depicting Krishna’s birth,” she says.</p>
<p>Inspired by Wodeyars</p>.<p>Sudarshan N, whose family hails from Domlur village, shares that they have been keeping the tradition alive for over four generations. “My great-grandfather’s father worked for the Wodeyars and he picked up this tradition from them,” says the 29-year-old entrepreneur. His great grandparents lived in a house shared by five families and the gombe tradition was always the highlight of the season. </p>.<p>Traditionally a new set of dolls are added to the collection every year. Sudarshan’s display currently has 400 dolls and they depict scenes such as the Mysuru Dasara featuring miniature replicas of the palace, Mysuru circle and Chamundi devi. The display also includes scenes depicting markets, grocery stores, poets and freedom fighters. The wooden couple dolls — Raja-Rani — remain the focus.</p>.<p><strong>120-year-old porcelain, silver articles </strong></p>.<p>The dolls in Padma Udayakumar’s collection have been passed down through two generations. Around 500 dolls are displayed in her living room this season, about 30 of which are heirloom pieces that belonged to her maternal grandmother. The display includes four pairs of ‘pattada gombe’: one passed down by her grandmother, one gifted by her mother and another by her mother-in-law, and one bought by Padma herself.</p>.<p>“The display also includes around 15 silver articles, which are encased in glass,” says Padma. These include miniatures of pooja items such as a panchapatra (sacred vessel), a kajal box, a flower basket, and betel leaf with two bananas.</p>.<p>Alongside these are about 10 porcelain dolls depicting cows with their calves, which also belonged to her grandmother. “All the heirloom dolls, which are over 120 years old, are stored in an almirah,” she adds.</p>.<p><strong>Glassware, sandalwood pieces</strong></p>.<p>Nandini R grew up in a family that displayed gombe during Navratri and married into one that upheld the same tradition. Today, the Banashankari resident has about 40 heirloom dolls from both sides of the family, along with more than 50 she has collected herself. The oldest in her collection is a dancing doll made from mud. “My daughter is 16 and just as interested in gombe (display),” says the product architect. From her mother, Nandini inherited Channapatna pieces depicting village life, such as vegetable vendors and a woman carrying a pot of water. From her mother-in-law, she received more Channapatna work besides porcelain figurines.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She also has glassware and sandalwood pieces. Among the oldest heirlooms is a pair of clay birds belonging to her husband’s great-grandparents, believed to be more than 60 years old. “This year, I added a Dashavatara set in a black-stone finish, the Akshaya Patra scene, and one more depicting Krishna’s birth,” she says.</p>