Keeping the Culture Alive with Toys – Bommala Koluvu

Keeping the Culture Alive with Toys – Bommala Koluvu

The festivals of India are some of the greatest examples of diversity. Each one of them is celebrated in fervor and anticipation. To every festival is a distinctive regional touch that celebrates and worships their gods and deities in their own methods.

As you already know, Dussehra is a festival that celebrates the subsequent triumphant victory of Lord Rama, an avatar of Vishnu over the ten-headed demon king Ravana after a cowardly abduction of Lord Rama’s wife, Sita. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and people all across the country indulge in festivities.

Come Dussehra or Diwali, smiling faces, devoted souls, and colorful homes are seen everywhere. People perform poojas, attend enactments of Ramayana, and burn effigies of Ravana in the evening. People distribute sweets, goodwill, and bid goodbye to their woes.

While all of this is common, Dussehra and Diwali to South Indians have always been a different story. The festival of Dussehra to South Indians is synonymous with Bommala Koluvu. If you grew up in Telangana or Andhra Pradesh, you already know what it is and how excited you’d be as a child to attend one of these events.

Bommala Koluvu is a unique arrangement of idols or dolls in sort of a step-like arrangement in horizontal arrays. The original theme of Bommala Koluvu remains unknown as many people have different themes each year. While some may celebrate Bommala Koluvu with idols of gods and goddesses, the others represent the diverse cultures and traditions of the Telugu people.

It is one of those activities that require stringent preparation for several months. It involves dolls made out of clay, wood, and these days fancier ones made out of ceramic including silver or gold. The event brings with it an unmatchable charm especially with decorating and arranging the dolls collectively. More often than not, a healthy collection of handmade dolls are a part of a family’s prestige and these dolls are handed down from one generation to the other.

This quaint custom also rekindles the artistic flair buried deep within us and the many women, children, and men involved in the tradition.

In recent times, however, the keen interest to set up such koluvus (arrangements) has been on the decline. With emerging nuclear families, employed households a general ignorance towards fine arts that prevails in our society, a dark shadow is cast on the celebration of Bommala Koluvu.

At Desiauthentic, we strive towards keeping this age-old tradition alive by providing you exclusive dolls and idols that are handmade for your Bommala Koluvu arrangements. The whole idea of a Bommala Koluvu arrangement can be an excuse for the bonding of your entire family. Talk about rituals, traditions, and the several themes that one can involve in making their koluvus; the ritual itself is eco-friendly, talent oriented, and socio-economic. Since the bommalu (idols/dolls) can represent any theme of cultural heritage, the ritual is also a gleefully accepted tradition amongst the youngsters.

Bond over bommas this Dussehra, only with Desiauthentic. Find authentic Kondapalli Dasavatharam dolls and much more at https://www.desiauthentic.com/collections/indian-toys.


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