During Navratri, families in southern India, particularly Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, put together a display of dolls at home that are collected over generations. It is called by a variety of names: Gombe Habba in Karnataka, Bommai Kolu in Tamil Nadu and Bommala Koluvu in Andhra Pradesh, translating as a festival or court of dolls. Colloquially, it is also called Golu or Kolu across the states.
This exhibition is an interpretation of the festival of dolls as celebrated in the homes of southern India.
Navratri
Navratri is a Hindu festival that celebrates the different forms of the Goddess – the feminine divine. In southern India, it is associated with the epic Devi Mahatmayam in the Markandeya Purana in which the Goddess Durga fights the buffalo demon Mahishasura over nine nights. The tenth day, when she emerged victorious is celebrated as Vijaya Dashami. The festival also marks the autumnal equinox and the harvest season. In some parts of the country, it signifies Rama’s victory over Ravana (Ramayana) and in some others, it marks the time the Pandavas emerged victorious over the Kauravas (Mahabharata). In essence, it is a symbol of the triumph of good over evil.