Mysuru: If there is a tradition that continues to flourish in Mysuru, then it is the festival of dolls arranged lovingly during the Navarathri celebrations.
While themes vary each other and houses compete with one another to have a better display than the other, a 43-year-old palace priest has outdone the others with the theme of farmers being blessed by the Gods, in an attempt to take the gloom hanging over the state with suicides of farmers.
The priest, Srihari, has converted his house into a dolls house on the occasion of Dasara, which is pulling huge crowd at Giridarshini layout here. The effort of the couple is to keep with the trend of Dasara celebrated with underlying theme of farmers to instill confidence in them, at the time of distress due to drought and are ending up their lives in the State. This is one among more than 100 such new concepts which they have evolved with month long efforts of Mr Srihari Dixith and his wife Geetha and their children Tejonidhi and Aishwarya out of the collection of over 3,500. While they have been carrying the family tradition since past six generations their collection boasts of dolls which are more than 100 years old. It is an opportunity that we make use of to introduce mythology, culture and tradition to our future generation by recreating the concepts with miniature dolls. Also while we arrange dolls in odd numbers worship of Navadurgas in the form of Mahalakshmi, Maha Saraswathi and Maha Kali (three days each) during Dasara, we have kept the show open to general public especially small children. The pattada gombes will be put to sleep soon after Dasara Jumbo Savari procession reaches Bannimantap. But the show will be extended for a week more for the benefit of Mysureans, Geetha Srihari said.
Srihari is the priest at Trinayaneswara temple for past three decades carrying on the tradition of his Dixith family running through over 300 years.
