Bengaluru: The festival of dolls, Navarathri, appeared to have come early to the city as visitors to the Garuda Mall on Friday were greeted with a display of 2148 dolls in its Central atrium.
But this was a festival of a different kind, celebrating the efforts of 58 women from different walks of life, and from all over the country and even abroad, who, had slogged from 9 pm Thursday to 9 am on Friday making the dolls to enter the Guinness Book of Word Records for the "largest number of handmade textile dolls."
There were cotton stuffed eco-friendly dolls with faces made out of plaster of paris, hair dried clay, epoxy compound and so on and others that told the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata, of rural weddings and livelihoods, pottery making, folk dances, festivals and the harvest celebration. “This way they showcase the myriad intricacies of Indian society and culture," said Ms Roopa Sanjay, secretary, Sanskruthi Doll Makers and Crafters Association, which has organised this first of its kind event in Bengaluru in association with the Garuda Mall.
The expo which ends on Sunday is a part of what is touted as Bengaluru's biggest doll and book festival. The dolls cost anywhere from Rs 300 to Rs 2000 "Within three hours of the event starting, we had received at least 50 enquiries," said Ms Chethana, Deputy General Manager, Garuda Leasing and Marketing team..
Popular Sandalwood actress, Ragini Dwivedi, who inaugurated the event, said it brought out the child in her. "I have always loved dolls from my childhood. Although I am very tomboyish, as a child you always want to have dolls. There is little bit of a child in everyone and I am really happy to be here. It just brings so much positivity,” she gushed, speaking to the Deccan Chronicle..
Ms Roopa Sanjay, said the Sanskruti Doll Makers and Crafters Association which is a group of artists from across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and also Dubai, has been trying hard to keep the rich traditions of India live and also provide a livelihood to underprivileged women by teaching them this ancient art of making textile dolls.
While a team of the Guinness Book of World Records was present at the event, the result is expected in a month.
