Dussehra is that time of year in India when the feminine energy is celebrated. In the south of India, for these nine days, Golu becomes intrinsic to the celebrations.
Dolls are placed in a step-like arrangement and considered highly auspicious and a symbol of divinity. Along with Goddess Durga, the dolls are also worshipped during Navaratri.
Celebrating this tradition, the Kaladevi Doll Museum in Mysuru is a venture spearheaded by Ramsons Kala Pratishtana (RKP), a non-profit art foundation based in Mysuru.
The museum houses over 5000 dolls, which have been painstakingly collected over the last few decades. The museum also has a miniature collection of the founder’s wife, Kaladevi.
The Museum has dolls representing various craft clusters like the Cheriyal, Kinnal and Channapatna. There is a section of Cheriyal dolls that is an art form native to Telangana.
Several dioramas like the display of Goddess Banashankari of Badami patron deity of fruits and vegetables. Another display is inspired by company paintings (East India Company).
Besides all these, the museum has a small collection of dolls from abroad. It includes a set of Barbie dolls created to mark Barbie at 60 and small handmade Thai worry dolls.