Navratri Decoration Ideas For Doll Festival

Decor

oi-Anjana

By Anjana Ns

Monday, September 26, 2011, 12:06

With the Navratri festivals just a days away, we have a few ideas for decorating idols for the festival of dolls. Traditional “Gombe Habba" (also called Bombe Habba) celebrated in Karnataka was started by the rulers of the Wodeyar dynasty. The rulers came up with the idea in order to encourage the art and skills of the women folk. The famous chennapatna toys were bought every year and arranged with different themes.

Being the festival of kids, the toys are arranged by children and is celebrated in a grand way. Today, we will discuss on the Navratri decoration ideas and tips for the doll festival. Take a look.

Navratri Decoration Ideas For Doll Festival

1. Make space for the step by step decorations of the doll festival - Move the space occupying items like chairs, tables and other furniture and choose the place which make your room look the best with decorations.

2. If possible, arrange the tables according to height (by at least 3 levels). Cover it with a beautiful table cloth (preferably shiny dark or light coloured). This is how the doll festival is traditionally arranged.

3. The most popular pattada gombe (the bride and groom dolls presented in the wedding) is arranged at the top. Among the mythological themes, dasavatharam of Vishnu, the Ramayana theme or Mahabharata theme can be followed.

4. Apart from these, the village theme, forest theme can also be done as the idea is easy and implementable. The sprouts of ragi and mustard can be sown in trays and made to look green and natural like forest.

5. Focusing on the village life, the snake charmer, the fare scene, gana (oil extraction process) can also be the themes of decoration.

6. If you feel clay idols to be very heavy, you can also use wooden, paper pulp idols for Navratri doll decoration. These decorations will be fun activity for kids as well help them have idea about village life.

7. Maintenance of clay idols is not easy as they are delicate and lose colour. Painting them with fabric colours or oil colours and wrapping them in paper covers or jute bags will keep them colourful always.

8. One of the best ways to highlight the Navratri decorations is through series lights or LED lights. The colourful lights add sparkle to the idols. Decorating them in sequined clothes will make the idols appear different year by year.

“Gombe Habba" is a traditional Navratri pooja attraction which seems to be fading from every household, as new generation homemakers, we need to inspire children about the idea of encouraging the folk talent and about carrying it for the future.