Ramsons’ Bombe Mane unveils wide range of miniature dolls; display to be open for public from September 16

Bombe Mane, the 19th edition of the doll exhibition, opened its doors in Mysuru a month before Navaratri. It features clay dolls from Tamil Nadu, Ganges clay dolls from West Bengal, terracotta lamps, planters, decorative bells, G.I. paper mache dolls from Tirukannur, wooden dolls from Varanasi, Channapatna, Kinhala, Kondapalli, Bobbili, Etikoppaka and Mysuru, costume dolls from Murshidabad, miniature replicas of the Ratha Yatra chariots from Bhubaneshwar, wood work from Puri temple, applique work from Pipli, paintings from Chitrakars, a diorama of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation and a tribute to Mirabai. Bombe Mane offers a unique collection of dolls and concepts this festive season.

The 19th edition of Bombe Mane opened its doors exactly a month before the Navaratri festival.

This year, Bombe Mane, which gives a peek into the innocent world of dolls, has an even larger collection of dolls spread across four floors. Clay dolls from Tamil Nadu form a bulk of the collection. However, the Ganges clay dolls from West Bengal steal the show with their compact size, exquisite detailing and painting technique.

The Bombe Mane was inaugurated on Friday, September 15, at Ramsons’ Bombe Mane on Nazarbad Main Road. The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. all through the year.

This festive season, terracotta lamps, dolls, planters, decorative bells in varied shapes and sizes are all set to enliven homes. The G.I. (Geographic Index) tagged paper mache dancing dolls of Tirukannur, Puducherry will grab the doll enthusiasts’ attention by their sheer size and bright colours.

The PoP dolls of Kolhapur mimic the fine finish of porcelain at an affordable price. The wooden dolls from Varanasi, Channapatna, Kinhala, Kondapalli, Bobbili, Etikoppaka and Mysuru are much sought after by doll lovers from overseas as they are convenient to carry personally, a note from the organisers said.

This year, Bombe Mane has a wide array of costume dolls from Murshidabad; the finely crafted dolls sport a variety of textiles and jewellery styles from across India.

The highlight of this year’s special display is the annual Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra held in the coastal town of Puri. Miniature replicas of the three massive chariots have been crafted by skilled craftsmen from Bhubaneshwar. The birds, animals and fishes made of wood in folk style paintings, witnessing the Rathayatra, have been made by a team of artists from Raghurajpur, according to Bombe Mane promoters.