Invitation and brochure of Ramsons Bombe Mane 2026

 

Like a blank canvas, a lump of clay or a block of wood has infinite potential to become any object in the hands of its creator. But first things to usually emerge from them are dolls, toys and play-things which entertain and enliven the human spirit. Artisans across Indian sub-continent have used local wood varieties to create dolls which reflect the folk, cultural, and living traditions of the respective regions and decorated them with unique aesthetic sensibilities of their own.

Almost every region of our country has unique wooden doll making traditions and these are briefly introduced in this article. Starting from Karnataka, the dolls of Kinhala have hundreds of years of legacy dating back to the Karnataka Samrajya with its capital at Vijayanagara. The unassuming hamlet of Kinhala lies about 58 kilometers from Hampi and carries forward the age-old tradition of dolls that were once used to decorate the temples and temple chariots. Gramadevata, the female village protector deities were and still are created by the artisans of Kinhala and brightly painted in primary colours. The Keelu Gowri dolls featured here are the creations of master artisans of Kinhala.

The parallel tradition of wooden dolls with similar process is still alive and thriving at the doll village of Kondapalli which is about 23 kilometers from Vijayawada. The wooden polychrome dolls of this craft cluster are usually small, ranging between 4 to 8 inches when compared to that of Kinhala dolls which are usually 12 inches and above. The popular dolls depicting the local men and women of Kondapalli are featured here.

Channapatna, the doll capital of Karnataka, is the centre of making lathe turned, lacquer ware wooden dolls which seems to have started about 250 years ago. The design inetrvention of Ramsons  in this craft cluster has resulted in many popular dolls including the daruma doll pair of Mysore Appa Amma shown here.

A parallel stream of similar craft tradition of lathe turned wooden dolls has evolved almost a thousand kilometers north-east at the village of Etikoppaka near Vishakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh. Miniature lathe-turned wooden ornamentation in this craft cluster is what makes it stand apart from the dolls of Channapatna. The doll diorama of Nadaswara troupe shown here is the product from Etikoppaka.

The wood polychrome dolls of Bhubaneshwar usually depict animals and birds which are almost two-dimensional. The artisans of this craft cluster have specially crafted the twin-headed eagle -Gandbherunda – the royal insignia of Wadiyars. This represents the rich tradition of Odisha at Ramsons Bombe Mane.

Varanasi is known for its unique hand carved wooden polychrome dolls. The flying gods are ubiquitous to this craft form. The doll of Rama seated on the back of a flying Hanuman, featured here, is from this craft cluster.

Apart from this we have the wooden miniature musical instruments from Bobbili, Andhra Pradesh, the Gangaur dolls from Jodhpur and gold painted wooden dolls from Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Ramsons Bombe Mane has hundreds of wooden dolls along with thousands more dolls made out of clay, paper mesh, cloth, ceramics and metal that you can add to your doll treasure and create your own unique doll display for the next Bombe Habba or Golu. Welcome to Bome Mane.

 

SÁ° PÁå£Áé¸ï, ªÀÄtÂÚ£À ªÀÄÄzÉÝ CxÀªÁ ªÀÄgÀzÀ vÀÄAqÀÄ - EªÀÅ PÀ¯Á«zÀ£À PÉÊAiÀÄ°è AiÀiÁªÀÅzÁzÀgÀÆ MAzÀÄ gÀÆ¥À vÁ¼ÀĪÀ C£ÀAvÀ ¸ÁzsÀåvÉ ºÉÆA¢ªÉ. DzÀgÉ EªÀÅUÀ½AzÀ PÀ¯Á«zÀ£ÀÄ ¸ÁªÀiÁ£ÀåªÁV ªÉÆzÀ®Ä gÀa¸ÀĪÀÅzÀÄ £ÀªÀÄä ªÀÄ£ÀgÀAf¸ÀĪÀ UÉÆA¨É CxÀªÁ DnPÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß. ¨sÁgÀvÀzÁzÀåAvÀ PÀıÀ®PÀ¯Á«zÀgÀÄ ¸ÀܽÃAiÀĪÁV zÉÆgÉAiÀÄĪÀ ««zsÀ ªÀÄgÀUÀ¼À£ÀÄß §¼À¹, DAiÀiÁ ¥ÀæzÉñÀzÀ°è fêÀAvÀ«gÀĪÀ eÁ£À¥ÀzÀ, ¸ÁA¸ÀÌøwPÀ ¥ÀgÀA¥ÀgÉ ¥Àæw©A©¸ÀĪÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß gÀa¸ÀÄvÁÛ §A¢zÁÝgÉ. ¥ÁæzÉòPÀ ¸ÉÆUÀr£À ¸ËAzÀAiÀÄð¥ÀæeÉÕAiÀÄ »£É߯ÉAiÀÄ°è CªÀÅUÀ¼À C®APÁgÀ «±ÉõÀ PÀ¼É¬ÄAzÀ PÀÆrgÀÄvÀÛªÉ.

£ÀªÀÄä zÉñÀzÀ §ºÀÄvÉÃPÀ ¥ÀæwAiÉÆAzÀÄ ¥ÀæzÉñÀªÀÇ vÀ£ÀßzÉà DzÀ «²µÀÖ ªÀÄgÀzÀ UÉÆA¨É gÀZÀ£ÉAiÀÄ ¥ÀgÀA¥ÀgÉ ºÉÆA¢zÉ. DªÀÅUÀ¼À£ÀÄß F ¯ÉÃR£ÀzÀ°è ¸ÀAQë¥ÀÛªÁV ¥ÀjZÀ¬Ä¸À¯ÁVzÉ.

PÀ£ÁðlPÀzÀ Q£Áß¼ÀzÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ½UÉ £ÀÆgÁgÀÄ ªÀµÀðUÀ¼À ¥ÀgÀA¥ÀgÉAiÀÄÄAlÄ. «dAiÀÄ£ÀUÀgÀªÀ£ÀÄß gÁdzsÁ¤AiÀiÁV ºÉÆA¢zÀÝ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ ¸ÁªÀiÁædåzÀ zÉêÁ®AiÀÄUÀ¼ÀÄ ºÁUÀÆ zÉêÀgÀxÀUÀ¼À£ÀÄß C®APÀj¸À®Ä §¼À¸À¯ÁUÀÄwÛzÀÝ F UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß FUÀ®Æ ªÀiÁqÀ¯ÁUÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ºÀA¦¬ÄAzÀ ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ 58 Q¯ÉÆëÄÃlgï zÀÆgÀzÀ°ègÀĪÀ Q£Áß¼À UÁæªÀÄzÀ°è EA¢UÀÆ UÁæªÀÄzÉêÀvÉUÀ¼À ©A§UÀ¼ÀÄ, ZËQUÀ¼ÀÄ ºÁUÀÆ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß vÀAiÀiÁgÀÄ ªÀiÁqÀĪÀ 15 jAzÀ 20 avÀæUÁgÀ PÀÄlÄA§UÀ½ªÉ. E°è ¥ÀæzÀ²ð¹gÀĪÀ QÃ®Ä UËj UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼ÀÄ Q£Áß¼ÀzÀ £ÀÄjvÀ avÀæUÁgÀgÀ ¸ÀȶÖUÀ¼ÀÄ.

Q£Áß¼À UÉÆA¨É ªÀiÁqÀĪÀ «zsÁ£ÀzÀAvÉAiÉÄà EzÀÄÝ, EzÀgÀ ¸ÀªÀiÁ£ÁAvÀgÀªÁV ¨É¼ÉzÀ ªÀÄvÉÆÛAzÀÄ UÉÆA¨É ¥ÀgÀA¥ÀgÉ, DAzsÀæ ¥ÀæzÉñÀzÀ «dAiÀĪÁqÁ¢AzÀ ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ 23 Q¯ÉÆëÄÃlgï zÀÆgÀzÀ°ègÀĪÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÁæªÀÄ PÉÆAqÀ¥À°èAiÀÄ°è GAlÄ. DzÀgÉ E°è ¸ÁªÀiÁ£ÀåªÁV 4 jAzÀ 8 EAZÀÄ zÉÆqÀØ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß ªÀiÁvÀæ ªÀiÁrzÀgÉ Q£Áß¼ÀzÀ°è J®èQÌAvÀ aPÀÌ UÉÆA¨É 1 Cr zÉÆqÀØ¢gÀÄvÀÛzÉ. F PÀgÀ¥ÀvÀæzÀ°è PÉÆAqÀ¥À°è ¤ªÁ¹UÀ¼ÀAvÉ PÁtĪÀ UÉÆA¨É¸ÀªÀÄƺÀªÀ£ÀÄß vÉÆÃj¸À¯ÁVzÉ.

UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À HgÀÄ JAzÉà ¥ÀæSÁåvÀªÁVgÀĪÀ ZÀ£ÀߥÀlÖtªÀÅ ªÀÄgÀzÀ CgÀUÀÄ-wgÀÄUÀÄ UÉÆA¨É vÀAiÀiÁjPÉAiÀÄ ¥ÀæªÀÄÄR PÉÃAzÀæªÁVzÉ. ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ 250 ªÀµÀðUÀ¼À ¥ÀgÀA¥ÀgɬÄgÀĪÀ F PÀgÀPÀıÀ® PÉÃAzÀæzÀ°è gÁªÀiï¸À£ïì ¸ÀA¸ÉÜAiÀÄ «£Áå¸ÀzÀ ±ÀQÛªÀzsÀð£É¬ÄAzÀ C£ÉÃPÀ d£À¦æAiÀÄ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À ¸ÀȶÖAiÀiÁVzÉ. F PÀgÀ¥ÀvÀæzÀ°è vÉÆÃj¹gÀĪÀ ªÉÄʸÀÆgÀÄ-C¥Àà-CªÀÄä GgÀÄluÉ UÉÆA¨É eÉÆÃrAiÀÄÄ gÁªÀiï¸À£ïì «£Áå¸À¢AzÀ ¥ÉæÃjvÀ UÉÆA¨ÉAiÀiÁVzÉ. EzÉà «zsÁ£ÀzÀ ªÀÄgÀzÀ CgÀUÀÄ-wgÀÄUÀÄ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À PÀgÀPÀıÀ® ¥ÀgÀA¥ÀgÉAiÀÄ ªÀÄvÉÆÛAzÀÄ ±ÁSÉAiÀÄÄ ¸ÀĪÀiÁgÀÄ ¸Á«gÀ Q¯ÉÆëÄÃlgï zÀÆgÀ, F±Á£Àå ¢QÌ£À°è, DAzsÀæ ¥ÀæzÉñÀzÀ «±ÁR¥ÀlÖtzÀ ¸À«ÄÃ¥ÀzÀ JnPÉÆ¥ÀàPÀ UÁæªÀÄzÀ°è ¸ÀªÀiÁ£ÁAvÀgÀªÁV ¨É¼ÉzÀħA¢zÉ. F PÀ¯ÉAiÀÄ°è Cw ¸ÀÆPÀëöä UÁvÀæzÀ ªÀ¸ÀÄÛUÀ¼À£ÀÄß ªÀiÁqÀĪÀ°è E°è£À PÀ¯Á«zÀgÀzÀÄ JwÛzÀ PÉÊ. EzÉà E°è£À ªÉʲµÀÖöåvÉ. F PÀgÀ¥ÀvÀæzÀ°è ¥ÀæzÀ²ð¹gÀĪÀ £ÁzÀ¸ÀégÀ UÀÄA¥ÀÄ UÉÆA¨ÉzÀȱÀå JnPÉÆ¥ÀàPÀzÀ GvÀà£Àß.

¨sÀĪÀ£ÉñÀégÀzÀ gÀAUÀÄgÀAV£À ªÀÄgÀzÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À°è ¸ÁªÀiÁ£ÀåªÁV ¥Áæt ¥ÀQëUÀ¼À£ÀÄß PÁtÄvÉÛêÉ. EªÀÅ §ºÀÄvÉÃPÀ ZÀ¥ÀàmÉAiÀiÁVzÀÄÝ JgÀqÀÆ §¢UÀ¼À°è awævÀUÉÆArgÀÄvÀÛªÉ. E°è£À PÀ¯Á«zÀgÀÄ ªÉÄʸÀÆgÀÄ gÁd¯ÁAbÀ£ÀªÁzÀ UÀAqÀ¨sÉÃgÀÄAqÀzÀ UÉÆA¨ÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¨ÉÆA¨É ªÀÄ£ÉUÁV «±ÉõÀªÁV gÀa¹zÁÝgÉ.

GvÀÛgÀ¥ÀæzÉñÀzÀ ªÁgÁt¹AiÀÄÄ vÀ£Àß «²µÀÖ PÀgÀPÀıÀ® PÀ¯ÉAiÀiÁzÀ PÁµÀ× ¥ÀÄvÀܽUÁV ¸ÀÄ¥Àæ¹zÀÞ. F PÀ¯ÉAiÀÄ ¸ÀÈd£ÁvÀäPÀvÉ C£ÀAvÀ. DPÁ±ÀzÀ°è ¸ÀAZÀj¸ÀĪÀAvÉ PÁtĪÀ zÉêÀ-zÉëAiÀÄgÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼ÀÄ E°èAiÀÄ ªÉʲµÀÖöåvÉ. F PÀgÀ¥ÀvÀæzÀ°è PÁt¹gÀĪÀ, ºÁgÀÄwÛgÀĪÀ ºÀ£ÀĪÀÄAvÀ£À ¨É£ÀߪÉÄÃ¯É PÀĽvÀ ²æÃgÁªÀÄ£À UÉÆA¨ÉAiÀÄÄ F PÀgÀPÀıÀ® PÉÃAzÀæzÀ ¸ÀȶÖ.

EªÀµÉÖà C®èzÉ, DAzsÀæ ¥ÀæzÉñÀzÀ ¨ÉÆ©â°AiÀÄ ªÀÄgÀzÀ ¸ÀAVÃvÀ ªÁzÀåUÀ¼À ¥ÀÄlÖ ªÀiÁzÀjUÀ¼ÀÄ, gÁd¸ÁÛ£À eÉÆÃzsÀ¥ÀÄgÀzÀ UÀtUËgï ªÀÄvÀÄÛ eÉÊ¥ÀÄgÀzÀ a£À߯ÉævÀ ªÀÄgÀzÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼ÀÄ £ÀªÀÄä ¨ÉÆA¨É ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è ¤ªÀÄä JzÀÄgÀÄ £ÉÆÃqÀÄwÛªÉ.

gÁªÀiï¸À£ïì ¨ÉÆA¨É ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ°è £ÀÆgÁgÀÄ ªÀÄgÀzÀ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼À eÉÆvÉUÉ ªÀÄtÄÚ, PÁUÀzÀ gÀZÀÄÑ, §mÉÖ, ¦AUÁt ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¯ÉÆúÀzÀ°è vÀAiÀiÁgÁzÀ ¸Á«gÁgÀÄ UÉÆA¨ÉUÀ¼ÀÄ C®APÁgÀUÉÆAqÀÄ M¥Àà-NgÀtUÉÆArªÉ. ¤ªÀÄä ªÀÄ£ÉAiÀÄ UÉÆA¨É ¸ÀAUÀæºÀªÀ£ÀÄß ¨É¼É¸À®Ä, ¨ÉÆA¨É ºÀ§â DZÀj¸À®Ä vÀ¥ÀàzÉ §¤ß.

Special Display 2025 - Hanumad Vilasa

Special Display 2025 - Hanumad Vilasa 

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.