Display of Dolls-Bommala Koluvu-Dasara festival

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Balakrishna Murthy <kbk_murthi

Master's Presence <masters_light_in_me >, KBKM

FAMILY <kbkm_rb_1946to1949 >

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 01:47:21 -0700 (PDT)

[masters_light_in_me] Display of Dolls-Bommala Koluvu-Dasara festival.

 

BOMMALA KOLUVU-DISPALAY OF DOLLS

 

During the Dasara there is a tradition to arrange

DISPLAY OF DOLLS & TOYS . There is lot significance of

this event.

 

In households, womenfolk arrange " Bommala Koluvu "

(display of dolls) on those days and invite kith and

kin to view them.They also visit the koluvu in other

households.

 

The inner meaning of this is to remind ourselves that

we are the playthings of the Divine and only by

executing what the Almighty has intended us to do with

devotion, we can get redemption.

 

Invariably, the koluvu is a seven-tier arrangement.

 

On the top layer, the doll of Sri Raja Rajeswari, the

Universal Mother, is kept to emphasize that She is the

Supreme Reality presiding over everything else.

 

The next tier is reserved for the Almighty's various

forms like Siva-Parvathi, Vishnu-Lakshmi,

Brahma-Saraswathi, Ganesha, Subrahmanya and so on.

 

The third layer from the top is for yakshas, kenneras,

gandharvas and kimpurushas.

 

The fourth one is for various human forms indicating

activity on earth.

 

The fifth and sixth are for dolls representing animal

and plant kingdoms and the bottom rung is for

inanimate objects that are essential for daily living.

 

Thus " Koluvu " is a mini-Universe.

 

The doll arrangement affords an opportunity to women

to display their special skills.

 

Apart from the steps upon which they place the various

dolls, many utilize the floor in front of them to draw

attractive " rangoli " patterns everyday.

 

Some imaginatively replicate a village, town or cities

on the floor besides the main Koluvu. It will

invariably have temple atop hillock, railway station.

Park with fountain, school with play ground, market

place, shopping center, agricultural fields, road

network etc., by appropriately placing the toys amidst

surroundings.

 

Modern gadgets are utilized by some to give special

effects like psychedelic lighting, spot lighting and

so on.

 

Koluvu enables women to show their culinary talent by

making special preparations every day for distribution

among visitors to their households.

 

Their latent musical talent also finds an expression

during the koluvu's days, sice women visitors are

insisted upon to sing some keertanas.

 

For children. Particularly the girls, it is not only

visual and culinary feast but also an occasion to be

clad in their best attire.

 

For Shaktaas or Shaktti-worshippers, Dasara is a very

important festival.

 

Now all our near and dear sister group enjoy this

doll-display keeping the above in mind and get the

blessings of the Mother Goddess.

____

Due gratitude to THE HINDU national news paper dated

11th October for enabling to give most of the above

information.

____