History of Doll Festival - Bombe Habba

We at Ramsons Bombe Mane have not come across any evidence regarding the history or background story about Bombe Habba. There are three theories, as told by some practitioners of Bombe Habba, as follows...

Theory 1: It is only during the 10 days of Sharan Navaratri that Mysore Maharaja ascends and sits on the golden throne - Karnataka Ratna Simhasana. Every time, before ascending the throne, he performs ritual worship to it. Every Mysorean wants to invite Maharaja to their home and pay respects to him in the form of Pada Puja. But since it is Navaratri, Maharaja has ritually committed (Kankana Bandhana) with a vow (sankalpa) to perform the Navaratri puja. So he cannot step out of the Palace during the nine plus one day until Seemollanghana. Hence as a representative of the king and the queen, the Pattada Bombe (pair of Raja Rani dolls made out of either wood, clay, cloth, metal or ivory) are worshipped during Navaratri / Dasara in many Mysore households. A stepped platform, representing the stepped golden throne, is assembled in one of the spacious rooms in the house and the Pattada Bombe are placed on the top-most tier. Other dolls in the form of deities, important personalities, animals, birds and toys are placed on the other steps of this Bombe Mettilu. Usually Bombe Mettilu consists of odd number of steps, say three, five, seven or nine. More number of steps will be added as the doll collection expands over years.

So paying respect to the royal couple is the first theory for Bombe Habba.

Theory 2: As per another theory, dolls represent our ancestors. Sharan Navaratri starts just as the fifteen days of Pitru Paksha ends and it is believed that our ancestors (Pitrus) descend to earth from their Pitru Loka during Pitru Paksha. There is a belief that dolls represent our ancestors and hence after the Pitru Paksha the dolls representing the ancestors are assembled neatly on a stepped platform and offered worship for nine days. After fifteen days from Navaratri during Deepavali, we light crackers and sky lanterns to show our ancestors way back to their abode. So the journey of our ancestors that starts from Pitru Paksha ends on Deepavali.

Theory 3: The third theory is interesting. The golden throne of Mysore is believed to have been come down from Pandavas. It was lost in time and found by Raja Bhoja of Ujjain under a mound of earth. It is said that the throne which belonged to Raja Vikramaditya was made of gold and was decorated with thirty-two dolls. It was excavated and on an auspicious day and time, Bhoja Raja tried to ascend the throne. As soon as he placed his foot on the first step of the throne, one of the dolls became alive, stopped the king from stepping further. It narrated a noble story of Raja Vikramaditya to whom the throne belonged earlier, and asked Bhoja whether he was worthy enough to ascend the throne. Disappointed with the answer, the doll flew away to heaven. The king tried to ascend the throne again the next day. The story repeated and one more doll flew away. Like wise, all the thirty-two dolls fly away to heaven. This is the famous story of Singhasan Battisi. 

The Bombe Mettilu of Navaratri peopled with the dolls represent this holy throne of Pandavas.

Inauguration- Bombe Mane 2025

 

Chief Guests - RBM 2025

 

Raja Krishnappa Nayaka
Titular head, Surapura Royal Family

The present head of the Surapura royal family, Sri Raja Krishnappa Nayaka Balavanta Bahari Bahadur, will inaugurate the event. The Surapura royal family is one of the foremost among the South Indians who revolted against British rule in what is now referred as the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. They rose in rebellion and paid the price with being subdued and the principality was unjustly treated under the infamous Doctrine of Lapse as the ruler Raja Venkatappa Nayaka IV died childless under mysterious circumstances. His widow Rani Rangamma took over the reins and continued the valorous saga of the royal family whose heritage spans the lives of 17 Rajas since 1636 CE.

Dr. Helen Philon
Founder-Trustee, Deccan Heritage Foundation

Helen Philon is a scholar with an M.Ph. in Pre-Islamic Art and a PhD on Bahmani Deccan architecture from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Helen was the curator of the Islamic Department at the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece and has published works on architecture and conservation. Helen fell in love with the Deccan while studying the region for her doctoral dissertation. Her desire to preserve the historic monuments of this region’s for future as she felt a particular affinity for places located at across road of civilization where different cultures can interact. In its ruins she saw an unending dialogue between the various civilizations that flourished in the Deccan for thousand of years. Helen was instrumental in the founding of the Deccan Heritage Foundation  in the UK and India as well as that of the American Friends of the Deccan Heritage Foundation in the US.

Mr. Stephane Bloch Saloz
Co-Founder and Trustee, Deccan Heritage Foundation

Stephane Bloch Saloz, a co-founder of the Deccan Heritage Foundation, is the present Chairman of its Board of Directors. He has also been a trustee of the Board of the American Friends of the Deccan Heritage Foundation since its inception and since 2024 as a Director on the Board of Deccan Heritage Foundation India. Stephane trained as a lawyer and worked for the international law firm, Baker McKenzie, before joining the Edmond de Rothschild Group in 1978. Having left the Managing Committee of Directors of the Bank Privee Edmond de Rothschild in Geneva, he remained on the Board of several banks of this international group, while returning to Italy. In addition, in 2000, he took the Chairmanship of Christie’s Italia. After his term with the international auction house, while keeping his interests and Directorships in Italy. He visits India on a frequent basis.

Invitation and brochure of Ramsons Bombe Mane 2025

 21^st edition of Ramsons Bombe Mane

As the monsoon is waning, nature is in the revival mode with every tree blushing with happy green and getting ready for the winter which is just around the corner. The first nine days of sharad-ritu, also called as ‘Sharannavaratri’ are the auspicious dates when the Goddess Durga is invoked in most households across India in different avatars and rituals. She is offered love, respect and worship with utmost devotion. In the east part of the country, she is adored as the daughter who is returning to her mother’s home; in the west, she is propitiated as a mother and her fertile womb (garbha) is worshipped with dance and gaiety. Elsewhere, she is the warrior goddess. But closer home, she is venerated as the divine girl. On the first day, she is six years old, on the second, she is seven and so on… On the tenth day, Vijayadashami, she is Shodashi or sixteen years old.

In South India, the Goddess is a child who loves dolls. Each and every doll in the house is neatly, aesthetically arranged on a tiered pedestal and offered for the divine child for her pastime. This is the celebrated ‘Bombe Habba’ of Mysore. Renaissance of this doll festival of Mysore happened in October 2005 when Ramsons first organised Bombe Mane. Thousands of dolls from across the country are sourced and specially designed for this exhibition for the past 21 years. Dolls that mirror the aesthetics and cultural sensibilities of our hallowed land are handpicked for best craftsmanship and quality. Dolls made of clay, paper, cloth, wood, metal, glass and ceramics have been diligently collected and displayed at the ‘Ramsons Bombe Mane’ exhibition. 

In keeping with the tradition, Ramsons design team has designed new doll-dioramas depicting the private royal Dasara celebrations within the palace like Saraswati Puja, Pada puja, Shami Puja, Ayudha Puja, and Vahana Puja. Inspired from the Mysore style paintings, Goddesses Meenakshi, Kamakshi, Vishalakshi, Indrakshi and Gayatri have been created as beautiful paper mesh dolls. Many more new dolls are going on display along with the regular fare of dolls. 

This year, the special display section has three dioramas depicting different facets of the much loved and worshipped Hanuman. Across India, the orange coloured deity of the simian god is invoked for strength, fearlessness, oratory, knowledge, intelligence, friendship and utter devotion. One can behold this beloved god in his different avatars at ‘Hanumad Vilasa’.

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Special Display 2024 - Vrunda Vihara

Tulasi, the ubiquitous shrub grown in a sacred pot and venerated in most Hindu households across India. Each and every region has a different style of Tulasi pot made of either stone, clay or metal (brass/bronze). Goddess Tulasi is worshipped by the whole of creation. It is said that her roots are the abode of sacred rivers, the divine knowledge of Vedas reside in her stem while each and every leaf of hers is home to a God. Several stories of Tulasi abound, especially her association with Krishna is celebrated. Every year many Hindu families commemorate her wedding with Krishna Damodara on the day of Utthaana Dwadashi. This is the special display - Vrunda Vihara, the garden of Tulasi.