Artist K.S. Raghavendra of Inchara Kalakshetra in Mysuru moulds magic from old newspapers, reviving Gombe Habba spirit…

The word Navaratri or Dasara instantly brings to mind majestic elephants in training, the grandeur of Jumboo Savari, the Torchlight Parade, the brilliance of city illumination and a host of exhibitions — from art, craft and books to flowers and cultural performances across Mysuru.

Amidst all these grand festivities, one quiet yet deeply meaningful tradition continues to keep our heritage alive — the Gombe Habba or the Festival of Dolls.

Gombe Habba is a cherished custom where families preserve and display dolls — some over a century old — passed down through generations.

These displays are not merely decorative but serve as storytelling tableaux depicting mythological and cultural tales. During this time, women visit one another’s homes to view the arrangements and exchange ‘Arishina-Kumkuma’ as part of the ritual.

Among those who celebrate this tradition with passion and purpose is K.S. Raghavendra (Karpur Subbarao Raghavendra), a 76-year-old artist from Vijayanagar.

Since 2021, he has been presenting his own unique version of Gombe Habba — one that combines artistry with education. Unlike most families, Raghavendra’s dolls are not heirlooms or purchased collections; they are entirely handmade using paper pulp crafted from old newspapers.

The artist’s journey

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Raghavendra recalls how it all began: “Art is something I inherited from my mother. Doll arrangement had been a ritual in our house for many years.”

“But after my mother passed away in 2005, I don’t know what happened to those dolls. During the COVID lockdown in 2021, I was jobless and wanted to keep myself engaged. That’s when I decided to make dolls. I experimented with clay and cloth, but the results didn’t satisfy me. Finally, I tried paper pulp — and it worked beautifully.”

On how he chooses his themes, Raghavendra says, “I grew up listening to Vadiraja’s composition ‘Sthreeyarellaru Bannire Srinivasana Padire…’, which my mother often sang. That inspired me to recreate the story of ‘Srinivasa Kalyana’ through dolls in 2021. I made 120 dolls for the display and received great appreciation. Many Swamijis — including the Vyasaraja Mutt Seer and Sonde Mutt Swamiji — visited the show. Their encouragement pushed me to continue.”

Raghavendra adds, “The next year, a friend suggested I depict the life story of Sri Raghavendra Swamy. That’s how the 2022-23 theme ‘Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mahime’ with 170 dolls took shape. This too received appreciation from the Pejawar and Palimar Mutts and even the Uttaradi Mutt Swamiji. For 2024, my theme was ‘Dashavataradalli Bala Krishna Leele,’ which featured 210 dolls.”

Explaining his creative process, Raghavendra says, “I first write down the story and divide it into parts, identifying the characters for each scene. Then, I make armatures for all the dolls at once to maintain uniformity, shaping them according to the required action in each scene. This takes about a month. After that, I apply paper pulp, sand the figures, add primer, paint and drape them.”

Waste into art

“The paper pulp is made from old newspapers — mostly Star of Mysore, as its paper quality is good — along with Fevicol and corn flour. It’s truly a case of turning waste into art — Kasadinda Rasa,” he adds with a smile.

Raghavendra is meticulous about detail — from costumes to hairstyles. “Some visitors say it looks good but can’t explain why. But when artists visit, they notice the finer details. They tell me they can even see ‘bhava’ (emotion) in the dolls — that makes all my effort worthwhile,” he says.

Supportive wife

Speaking about his wife’s support, he notes, “She’s my best critic, especially when it comes to drapery. She advises me on costumes, ornaments and hairstyles. She’s been my biggest support.”

Reflecting on art in the modern era, Raghavendra says, “Today, with AI, many things are generated automatically. That too is a form of art, but I believe true art must reflect our culture. For example, in all portraits of Sri Raghavendra Swamy, he is shown wearing a kachche. I wanted to be accurate, so I called Mantralaya to confirm. They told me he actually wore only a ‘kaupina’, ‘datti’ and ‘uttariya.’ When people see my dolls, I want them to sense that cultural authenticity.”

Passing on the tradition

Recalling his time as President of Rotary Mysore Brindavan, he adds, “We had a programme called ‘Bombe Rotary,’ where we’d visit homes to see doll arrangements and understand the concept behind them. I believe we should revive this idea — use dolls to visually teach children moral and mythological stories and gift them ‘Bombe Bagina’ (sweets or eatables) to attract them. That’s how we can keep this tradition alive and meaningful.”

On preserving his creations, he says, “We display the dolls from the start of Navaratri till Deepavali so visitors can come during the holidays. After that, we pack them carefully in zip-lock covers to protect them from dust and spider webs. Sometimes they get minor ‘fractures’ but I repair them easily. Every time I unpack and rearrange them, touching each doll gives me a fresh feeling — as if the art is alive.”

This year, due to public demand, the Paper Pulp Doll Show with over 500 dolls depicting ‘Sri Srinivasa Kalyana’, ‘Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mahime’ and ‘Dashavataradalli Sri Krishna Bala Leele’ at Inchara Kalakshetra, #149/150, 4th Cross, 3rd Main, Mahadeshwaranagar, Vijayanagar 2nd Stage, was reopened for public viewing on Oct. 26 and will remain open till Nov. 10.

Concluding, Raghavendra expresses his wish to pass on his skills. “I’d be happy to teach anyone interested in learning the art of doll-making. I’m also willing to offer my Inchara Kalakshetra auditorium free of cost for deserving cultural and art programmes — provided they are open to the public and free of charge.” Raghavendra can be contacted on Mob: 98867-64542.

Son of late J.S. Subbarao, a surveyor and Kamalabai, K.S. Raghavendra holds an M.A. in Ancient History and Archaeology from the University of Mysore. He served as Assistant Curator at the Karnataka Government Museums in Bidar and Kalaburagi before resigning to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

He later ran a photography studio and school — Foto Arts — followed by an interior decoration firm, Vijay Furniture. Raghavendra then moved to Muscat, where he managed Al Mahrooki Carpentry for 11 years before returning to Mysuru. From 2002 to 2014, he and his wife, Geetha, ran Inchara Vidyalaya, a pre-school in the city. He also served as President of Rotary Mysore Brindavan (2016-17).

His wife, Geetha Raghavendra, is a gold medallist in B.Music and teaches music to several students. Their daughter, Raksha R. Karpur, a Bharatanatyam artiste – teacher, resides in Bengaluru with her husband Vinay Mohanram, who works for an MNC. The couple’s son, Siddhanth, a Class 7 student, represents Karnataka State U-14 in basketball.

— BNR