Reclaim Constitution is celebrating the traditional Gombe Habba with a doll display on the theme of constitutional values
Celebrating Gombe Habba with a doll display on the theme of Constitutional values. (Supplied)
An integral part of Dasara celebrations in South India, Gombe Habba aka Bommai Golu comprises dolls of different kinds, shapes and sizes. Over the years, revellers have taken the notch higher with their doll arrangements. In fact, it’s not just the Gods but miniatures of actors, singers, freedom fighters and even models of Chandrayaan 3 among others that get a spot on the divine steps during this Golu season of Navaratri.
Reclaim Constitution, an initiative by Bengaluru-based aerospace engineer, Vinay Kumar, to promote constitutional values, has dedicated its first doll display to something more than the usual.
In a one-of-a-kind community doll display, the organisers are inviting people of all faiths and religions to participate by lending dolls or statuettes that reflect the values enshrined in the Preamble to our Constitution.
Organised by the International Institute for Art, Culture and Democracy (IIACD) and RR Naik Seva Trust along with members of civil society, the event attempts to preserve the values envisaged by freedom fighters and the framers of our Constitution.
The centerpiece of the display will be a miniature of the 15 women who are part of the constituent assembly. (Supplied)
“Participants can bring miniatures that reflect any word from the Preamble such as justice, equality, fraternity, liberty etc. For instance, to represent secularism, a Christmas Nativity scene, a replica of Kaaba from Mecca, and statues of Gomateshwara, Basavanna, and Buddha will be there,” says Kumar.
The centerpiece of the display will be a miniature of the 15 women who were part of the Constituent Assembly.
Vinay explains, “Normally when we look at Dasara doll displays, we see freedom fighters. Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Tagore and such. However, Ambedkar is usually left out. We wanted to point out that Ambedkar and the women who are part of the Constituent Assembly should also be celebrated equally.”
The event’s highlight is a panel featuring historians and experts on the constitution and the cultural aspects of Dussehra.
“Through the panel, we want to highlight the syncretic traditions of India and particularly, Karnataka. There is a group of artistes in North Karnataka who are predominantly Hindus, who keep alive the tradition of Muharram. We want to highlight such traditions and also personalities like Kanaka Dasa, Shishunala Sharif, and many such examples we have in Karnataka,” shares Kumar.
Among the topics discussed by the panelists will be the values that went into making our Constitution, the current state of the syncretic traditions of India and the need to preserve it.
The idea of reclaiming constitutional values through culture was inspired by the artworks on the Constitution.
Participants can bring miniatures that reflect any word from the preamble such as Justice, Equality, Fraternity, Liberty etc. (Supplied)
Kumar shares, “Our Constitution is beautifully decorated with artwork by some of the greatest artists of the country. In the past, we made postcards and posters of the artworks, which also have the words of the freedom fighters about the India of their dreams. These are the people who have given their lives for the country. They gave us this Constitution. While they did say that it’s not perfect, they trusted the future generations to make it perfect. That’s the responsibility they left us with.”
However, the current generation seems to have not understood the value of the freedom that they got for free, he insists.
“The Constitution wasn’t written just for the people who were alive at that time. If you look at the history behind the making of the constitution, we will see that it is addressing all future Indians. This is what we want to communicate to the people.” he adds.
The primary motive of Reclaim Constitution is to make the youth aware of the country’s needs.
“Today, half this country is below the age of 30. But when we look at the age group of people in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, less than 1 percent would be within the age group 25-35. So how do we expect half of this country’s voice to be heard?” asks Kumar.
Events like this have to be done to remind people to not be apathetic. (Supplied)
Events like this, Kumar urges, have to be conducted to remind people to not be apathetic. He expresses a sense of urgency while detailing the current threat that the Constitution is facing. People come first, he articulates.
“We have forgotten our rights and duties and have allowed people in power to abuse our freedom. So we hope these conversations will ignite the imagination of the young people. Our Constitution is our eternal connection to the freedom struggle. So we need to get back to it to draw inspiration,” Vinay signs off.
Reclaim Constitution is free and open to all.
Date: 21- 22 October 2023
Venue: Indian Institute of World Culture, Basavangudi
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