6 dolls to see at Kaladevi Doll Museum in Mysuru, Karnataka

Jumbo Savari comprises 800 dolls depicting a historic Mysuru procession. The dolls are lined up against a large model of the Mysore Palace. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Cheriyal doll set: Crafted by the Nakash family of Cheriyal, this set of dolls from Telangana is traditionally used to tell stories. The Nakashis make dolls and painted scrolls for eight different communities, extolling their respective mythologies. These scroll paintings and dolls are used as visual aids for weeklong storytelling tradition. The set of dolls that are in this museum tells the story of Katamaraju of the Yadava community. Incidentally some of the oldest dolls in the museum are found in this set. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Jumbo Savari: The piece de resistance here is the 1939 Mysuru Dasara procession (being considered as a benchmark) that has a set of 800 dolls showing a glimpse of the grand Jumbo Savari. The dolls are lined up against a large model of the Mysore Palace and it is a greatly detailed model. For instance, the elephants here have different howdahs, one has a caparison of a Gregorian Cross meant for visiting dignitaries from abroad. Also, the soldiers are shown wearing various kinds of headgear based on their rank. At the time of writing, the team were planning to add more dolls. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Thailand Worry Dolls: The museum also has a small collection of Thai worry dolls that have been sourced from Thailand. According to a popular Siamese legend it is said that a girl child who is worried for any reason, shares the same with the doll and puts it under their pillow when sleeping. It is believed that the doll will take their worries away during the night. The set here is made from wool, pieces of colourful cloth and are quite small and are therapeutic in nature. Also at the museum are Neyveli dolls, a set of porcelain dolls that were made in the town of Neyveli in Tamil Nadu. The vendors would sell them on push carts from door to door. These were being made as the doll makers would get the raw material from a by-product as there was an erstwhile power project in the region. Today however the dolls are no longer being made and this is what makes the set of these dolls unique. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Pictured above: Navarasa dolls. While at the museum, don't miss Badami Banashankari: This is a large figurine of the patron deity of Badami, the Goddess Banashankari which is made of wood but the interesting aspect is the huge amount of toy vegetables and fruits that surround the figurine. The patron deity of the same, it is said that the Goddess is offered fresh fruits and vegetables. Do not miss the brinjal and pumpkin below – they have faces and the representation is showing these two vegetables being married to each other. Also see: Kavad or mobile shrine, which is like a box that opens to show a series of paintings of different Gods. The brightly painted boxes merge art with carpentry and highlight the tradition of storytelling in the country. There is a display showcasing several kavad’s here each of which have a different story from mythology. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

Company Dolls: This is a set of premium dolls that have been specially commissioned based on several Indian communities as shown in company paintings. These dolls have been made from a single block of wood from artisans in Jodhpur and are inspired by the work of Indian artists using a European palette. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)

The Royal Couple: Being a city with a royal history, the king and the queen are integral to the culture of Mysore and the entrance of the museum has a set of two large dolls that represent them. The royal symbol of Gandaberunda (a mythical two headed bird) that was instituted by Chamarajendra Wadiyar X in 1892 is also placed above this display. While here, also see: Kinnal Dolls: A set of dolls from the town of Kinnal near Hampi is said to have the oldest doll making history dating to the Vijayanagara empire. These dolls are made from wood and have a specific process that uses tamarind seed paste to make fine detailing like eyes, nose, ears and ornaments. The Garuda and Hanuman figurines of the region are on display in bright hued colours at the museum. Also see, Rakshasa Ranga: While typically dolls are largely associated with spiritual figurines, there is an interesting display of asuras as well here. “This has been done as an attempt to shine light on the positive aspects of the mighty Rakshasas as we want people to understand that there are good aspects to them as well,” explains Raghu Dharmendra, chief designer, and curator of the museum. (Photo by Bindu Gopal Rao)