Ramsons Bombe Mane redefines Mysuru's doll culture

Inauguration of 22nd edition expo tomorrow

The 22nd edition of ‘Ramsons Bombe Mane,’ the exhibition of exquisite dolls from across India organised by Ramsons Kala Pratishtana (RKP), will be inaugurated tomorrow (Aug. 28) at 6 pm at No. 91, Nazarbad Main Road, Mysuru.

Scion of erstwhile Thanjavur Maratha Samsthanam Srimant Babaji Rajah Bhonsle with his wife Srimati Gayatri Raje Bhonsle will inaugurate the event. Mysuru’s

Sri Raghuleela School of Music Founder Dr. Sunitha Chandrakumar will unveil the special display sections.

The expo will be open to public between 10 am and 7 pm from Aug. 29 onwards, the whole year. Entry is free.

For details, contact Mob: 98801-11625.

Evolution of ‘Bombe Habba’

More than 55 years ago, Mysuru had a vibrant doll-making tradition both in clay as well as wood. For various different reasons, the doll-making tradition gradually declined in Mysuru and that had adverse effects on the local Bombe Habba tradition of Navarathri.

Bombe Habba is the doll festival wherein households in old Mysuru region display their doll collection on stepped platform for ten days. Every house turned into a magical alcove of colourful dolls. While the whole of city celebrated Dasara with Palace as the centre, each and every house became a point of intense activities centred around dolls. The potters and clay artisans supplied new dolls for this unique doll festival.

But as the doll availability became scarce by the day, the Bombe Habba of Navarathri became lacklustre.

22-year journey

In the Dasara-2005, Ramsons organised the first Ramsons Bombe Mane exhibition by sourcing dolls from across the country. It became a instant hit with people standing in long lines to see dolls. The popularity has only increased since all these years proving the fact that dolls hold a special place in the heart of everyone. In fact dolls enliven our inner child with a sense of innocence and nostalgia.

Ramsons Bombe Mane has returned with the 22nd edition of its popular exhibition with more dolls and varieties including spectacular special display sections.

The traditional clay dolls with bright colours take up the majority of the store space which spans across four floors. Dolls depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata made out of clay from Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and Krishnanagar in West Bengal are the favourites among doll lovers. The paper mesh dolls from Pondicherry are bigger in size and depict single deities with minute detailing.

The traditional wooden dolls of Kinhala, Karnataka, is well-known for its unique aesthetics and has now captured the global attention for its style and beauty. Ramsons Bombe Mane has a dedicated section of these dolls, especially the Keelu Gowri

dolls. The wooden doll collection from Kondapalli, Etikoppaka, Varanasi, Bhubaneshwar, Srikalahasti, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Channapatna at Bombe Mane is one of its kind and rare.

Dolls designed by Ramsons are specially crafted keeping in mind the wants and needs of doll connoisseurs of Mysuru and Karnataka. Mysuru Dasara procession dolls, dolls diorama depicting Navadurgas, Saptamatrikas, Mysore Maharaja performing various pujas during Navarathri, Mysuru’s Karnataka Ratna Simhasana, Mysore Palace and other Mysuru buildings and many more Mysuru-specific dolls are the proud productions of Ramsons Bombe Mane.