Raja Rani Dolls of Ekappa

The master artist, Sri Ekappa Ramachandrappa Chitragar of Kinhala has magic in his hands. We at RKP asked him to make 4 feet dolls of Raja Rani pair based on the Mysuru Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar and his queen. We also gave some images for him to work on.

He and his sons crafted these beautiful pair of Kinhala dolls. I fell in love with these dolls.

Gosh! Aren't they beautiful...

My Dolls Going Places

Star Suvarna (Kannada channel of Star family) has used my dolls to promote one of it's serials - 'Sarva Mangala Mangalye'. A nicely designed and printed colourful postcard (image given above) has a yellowish-orange background with strings of flowers and leaves festooned at the top. Along with the logo of the channel, the serial's logotype name and the days and time on which it is aired, the Kannada legend says 'Paaru-Shankara at the Navaratri festival'. I suppose Paaru and Shankara are the names of main protagonists whose head cutouts have been replaced on to the heads of my Gaarudi Gombe doll pair.

The design is neat and interesting. Below is the image of Garudi Gombe dolls that were designed by me and executed by Channapatna artisans in lathe-turned laquerware doll craft.

This is me with my Paaru and Shankara

YKCW @ Bombe Mane

Sri R.G. Singh, Secretary, Ramsons Kala Pratishtana (RKP) showing around Bombe Mane to H.H. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar

YKCW looks on at the special display diorama of Badami Banashankari

RG Singh seen explaining some details of the display commemmorating the birth centenary of H.H. Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar

L-R: Sri YKCW, RG Singh, R. Ajay Kumar Singh and R. Rajesh Kumar Singh

L-R: Artist B.P. Ramakrishna, R. Ajay Kumar Singh, artist Manish Verma and YKCW

YKCW felicitating artist B.P. Ramakrishna in the presence of latter's family

YKCW and RG Singh pose for a photograph after felicitating artist Manish Verma

YKCW appreciating the Mysuru style mural of a Mysuru wedding at Aamrapali created by artist Manish Verma

The scion of erstwhile Mysuru royal family, H.H. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar (YKCW) visited Bombe Mane on 4 November 2018. He was attentive and patiently listened to R.G. Singh when the latter explained all the dolls and their traditions. He later felicitated artsts B.P. Ramakrishna and Manish Verma.

Mysuru DC @ Bombe Mane

Sri Abhiram G. Shankar, IAS, District Commissioner, Mysuru District, visited Bombe Mane along with his better-half on the evening of 23 September 2018. He was supposed to have inaugurated the exhibition on 21st but could not because of an emergency meeting.

The couple enjoyed beautiful display of dolls and intently listened to everything that was said.

Deepa Soundarya 2018

Special Display - Jaya Chamaraja Drishya Vaibhava

The year 2018 marks the birth centenary of H.H. Sir Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar Bahadur GCB, GCSI (18-07-1919 to 23-09-1974), the last Maharaja of Mysuru. H.H. JCW has conducted Dasara Durbars seated on the Karnataka Ratna Simhasana for more than 30 years. His parents were H.H. Yuvaraja Kanteerava Narsimharaja Wadiyar and H.H. Yuvarani Kempu Cheluvajammanni avaru. H.H. JCW was an accomplished musician and has composed 97 kritis in 96 different ragas. He played classical Karnataka music on the piano. He was an ardent devotee of Devi and took deeksha in Srividya tradition with the assumed name 'Chitprabhananda'. The six Mysuru paintings depict him worshiping his favourite deities-Gayatri, Meenakshi, Dattatreya, Kamakshi, Indrakshi and Vishalakshi. His six children were named after these deities.

Artist B.P. Ramakrishna (in striped shirt) and artist Manish Verma (in black tee)

Artists B.P. Ramakrishna and Manish Verma at the former's studio with the six paintings at various degrees of completion

It was about two months before the inauguration of Bombe Mane 2018, RG Singh asked me to suggest one theme for special display. I was blank for sometime and it suddenly occurred to me that next year (2019) happens to be the birth centenary of H.H. Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar, the last Maharaja of Mysuru. Along with the subject I also suggested that we can have six Mysuru style devotional portraits of JCW with his favourite deities.

I have never come across a Mysuru style portrait of JCW and neither any image that shows JCW playing a piano. I was all thrilled with the prospect of overseeing the entire process of a paintings in which one will show JCW playing a piano. After several brain storming sessions, we decided on the deities. I suggested the artists who can work on this project. The collaboration of two artists (one based in Mysuru while the other resides in Bengaluru) on such complex subject and within such a short duration of one and half months meant there could be no mistakes or errors. This also meant that I had to compose all paintings using photoshop and give it to the artists to work with. Wow, was I excited?!!!

In each painting, Ramakrishna worked on the Mysuru style deities and most of the backgrounds while Manish did all portraits of H.H. Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar along with the background, cow & dogs in the painting of Dattatreya.

Finally just two days before 21 September 2018 the paintings were ready.

Sudha Murthy @ Bombe Mane

Chairperson of Infosys Foundation Ms. Sudha Murthy paid a visit to Bombe Mane on 13 October 2018. She inaugurated this year's Mysuru Dasara celebrations by worshiping Goddess Chamundeshwari. She was the State guest and actively participated in all celebrations of Dasara for ten days which is a first for the State guest.

Bharathi Vishnuvardhan @ Bombe Mane

Ms. Harinitha Singh and Mr. Anand with Ms. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan

Ms. Bharathi visited Bombe Mane on 8 October 2018. Ms. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan is a famous film actress and has played lead roles in many Bollywood movies ('Sadhu Aur Shaitan', 'Purab Aur Paschim') as well as Kannada movies ('Sri Krishnadevaraya', 'Sandhya Raga', 'Bangarada Manushya', etc.).

Bombe Mane 2018 Inauguration

L-R: Artist Sri B.P. Ramakrishna, Curator of Bombe Mane Sri Raghu Dharmendra, Chairman of Ramsons Kala Pratishtana Sri D. Ram Singh and Chief Guest Dr. Tulasi Ramachandra

Dr. Tulasi Ramachandra appreciating a doll

Dr. S. Bhaskar, the special invitee, with his classmate and friend Sri D. Ram Singh

Unveiling of the special display section 1

Special display section 1 - Badami Banashankari

Dr. S. Bhaskar unveils the Special display section 2 - Birth centenary of Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar

Special display section 3 - Devi Aradhana by Jaya Chamaraja Waidyar

Special display section 4 - Durga Pujo Pandal of Kolkata

Dr. Tulasi Ramachandra inaugurates 14th edition of Bombe Mane by lighting the lamp

Felicitations to artist Sri B.P. Ramakrishna by Dr. S. Bhaskar

Felicitations to artist Sri K.S. Shreehari

Felicitations to artist Sri Manish Verma

Artists with the dignitaries

Smt. R. Kaladevi, Trustee, RKP, is seen felicitating the Chief Guest Dr. Tulasi Ramachandra

A token of friendship by Sri D. Ram Singh to the Special Invitee, Dr. S. Bhaskar

Date: 21-09-2018. Friday. 6.30 pm
Venue: Pratima Gallery, 1 Floor, Above Aamrapali Sarees, Nazarbad Main Road, Mysuru 570010

2018 Bombe Mane

It was in the year 2005 that Ramsons Kala Pratishtana organised it's first doll exhibition 'Bombe Mane' to celebrate the doll festival and support indigenous craft forms. In this 14th edition of Bombe Mane we have brought the regular round-up of dolls from across the country along with new additions aplenty.

Paintings of Raja Ravivarma have come alive in dolls that have been crafted in papier machie. Miniature dioramas depicting various from Mahabharata like Escape from Lakshagruha, Panchali Swayamvara, the infamous game of dice, Draupadi Vastraharana, Pandavas in Agyatavasa, Kiratarjuneeya, humbling of Bheema, wedding of Abhimanyu-Uttara, Bheeshma on the bed of arrows – await to entice you. Other interesting additions include Bhadrachala Rama and Lakshmana, Ahobila Narasimha, Krishna Rukmini playing Pagaday, Ashta Varahi, Sapta Rishi, Samudra Manthana, Srinathji, Dwarakadheesh and Ganesha Bhojana. Ceramic dolls from Khurja, UP, have been added to the repertoire of Bombe Mane fulfilling the long standing demand of our patrons.

The special display section pays tribute to the famous Shakti temple of Karnataka – Badami Banashankari the patron goddess of Western Chalukyas. The faux fruits and vegetables from Kinhala and Krishnanagar will adorn the goddess who is also hailed as Shakambari. The other diorama brings alive the Durga puja pandal tradition from Kolkata; Devi Mahishamardini flanked by Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya also features Dakshina Kali, Radha, Krishna and Vishwakarma.

This year marks the birth centenary of H.H. Sir Jaya Chamarajendra Wadiyar Bahadur, the last Maharaja of the princely State of Mysuru. Bombe Mane commemorates this eventful occasion with old photographs, artefacts and specially commissioned Mysuru painting portraiture.

Keeping the commitment of presenting new ideas and themes, Bombe Mane has returned to play host to scores of dolls under one roof. Dolls with their frozen poses and bright colours are ready to serenade the child in you with their silent songs and lores.

Welcome to Bombe Mane.

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