1,600 handmade dolls exhibited for Dasara festival

BENGALURU: The countdown for the Dasara festival has begun and the celebrations are already on in full swing. Residents of Silicon City are gearing up to welcome Dasara in a grand manner by displaying handmade dolls.

Sandalwood actor Milana Nagaraj inaugurated a display of 1,600 handmade dolls showing the different  incarnations (avatars) of gods and goddesses from Hindu mythology, which have been exhibited for the Dasara doll festival organised at Garuda Mall.

Milana Nagaraj said after the inauguration, “It is a visual treat and was a feast for my eyes. It gave a festival feel for all. All are handmade dolls and the artisans have put lot of effort into making them. As many as 1,002 dolls are displayed in the exhibition. Moreover, Hindu Gods are depicted beautifully and we need to appreciate hard work of the artisans”.

The actor said 79 artists made dolls using clothes. There are thousands of dolls depicting the various avatars  of gods and goddesses displayed atthe expo. There are also dolls of village deities, gurus, ancient sages, sadhus, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the birth of Lord Krishna, Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati, Goddess Lakshmi, Ashtadevata, Lord Vishnu, Chamundeshwari, Lord Anjaneya, Ayudha, among others.

Artist Roopa Sanjay has organised the exhibition and it has been added to the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records.

Visitors can immerse in the beauty of the exhibits which highlight Hindu traditions. They also expressed their happiness on seeing the display. The doll show is open till October 25 and is the best place to visit for puppet lovers.

Information was gathered about the variety of dolls and their specialties. The dolls from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and other states are displayed under one roof.