Constitution-themed dolls to be put on display for Gandhi Jayanti in Gombe Habba season

The exhibition organised by Reclaim Constitution aims to showcase dolls that depict the 22 artworks in the Indian Constitution this year

On this Gandhi Jayanti, the National Gallery of Modern Arts would display a Constitution-themed doll collection featuring dolls of prominent personalities from Indian history. 

The exhibition organised by Reclaim Constitution, a collective of people working towards improving Constitutional Literacy among the public, aims to showcase dolls that depict the 22 artworks in the Indian Constitution this year. 

The display that coincides with the Dasara season would have the dolls arranged in the ‘Gombe Habba’ style although the exhibition is not directly linked to the festival.

“There are 22 different artworks in the Indian Constitution featuring portraits of Gandhi, Tipu Sultan, Akbar, scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata, lives of Budhha, Jhansi Rani, Mahavira, and so on. We are asking people to send in dolls related to these. We hope we’ll be able to get all of them,” says Vinay Kumar from Reclaim Constitution. 

India’s syncretic past

According to Mr. Kumar, the idea is to showcase India’s secular and syncretic tradition. “The dolls are sourced from several people. We have a small collection now. But we have also put out a call to people to lend their dolls,” Mr. Kumar says. 

The constitution dolls were handmade by artists Gireesh, Nanda Gireesh, and Fastin Pedros from Chitrakala Parishat. One of the major attractions of the collection is the 15-woman doll set featuring ‘Founding Mothers of the Constitution.’

Although the central theme is the Constitution, the display welcomes all types of miniature dolls from the public. The exhibition also has a link to the ongoing Haripura panels exhibition at NGMA- Bangalore.  

“Nandalal Bose, who designed the Haripura panels, also designed the artworks in the Indian Constitution. Taking a cue from that collection which we have in-house now, we thought it would be a good connect to have these Constitution dolls also as part of the exhibition,” says Priyanka Francis, director at NGMA Bangalore.  

Highlights of the show

One of the highlights of the display would be a 130-year-old handcrafted wooden Krishna idol from the family of P.V. Kuppuswamy Naidu who founded the Naidu & Sons Bakery and Confectioners in Shivaji Nagar in 1888. 

“On Krishna Janmashtami, people of all faiths would participate in the procession carrying the idol. This time their family wants to showcase the idol,” Mr. Kumar says. 

The celebrations will also see Nadaswaram performances by Mahboob Subhani and Khaleesabi Subhani, a panel discussion, and a documentary film screening on legendary Nadaswaram artist Sheik Chinna Moulana. 

The collective is currently collecting dolls and plans to wrap it up by Sunday. “Any miniature dolls are welcome and people can drop their dolls from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. till 1st October at Ashirwad Center, St. Mark’s Road,” Mr. Kumar says. The exhibition will be open on October 3 and 4.

Changing festivals

Mr. Kumar recalls the tradition of Gombe Habba, “When we were growing up, there used to be something special every year for the Gombe Habba. I remember seeing a doll of Veerappan and Rajkumar when I was in school. In 1999, there were dolls depicting Kargil war. There used to be dolls of freedom fighters and tribal deities.” 

“But over the years, we have started noticing that this diversity is vanishing and religious colours are taking over. Dasara is not just about gods. It has always been a celebration of the culture and tradition of India. So, we’d like to highlight the kind of India where people lived harmoniously,” he notes.

Published - September 27, 2024 11:50 pm IST