For Lalith Prasad, 70, Dasara is not just a festival that shows dolls, but the opportunity to make dolls alone. Over the past 15 years, it has produced more than 1,500 dolls on more than 20 different topics, from yoga and Surya Namascar to the depiction of critics of women, marital ceremonies, mythology and history.
Her cotton dolls have hand -sewn costumes and jewelry, including small details such as earrings and bindi. Every year Mrs. Prasad produces new dolls and carefully organizes them in her house in Bengalur. Although it has received offers that show their dolls outside the state and the country, it has refused and continues to display them only in its house during the Navaratri festival.
Not only to produce new dolls and displaying them, but for years to keep them a key task that requires a lot of work, because the dolls must be restored and repacked after the celebrations.
Mrs. Prasad’s daughter Rashmi Manohar said that the production of these dolls was a great passion of her mother. “She talks to his dolls, sings for them. They don’t see them as objects, but as stories and traditions. The main reason he makes enough efforts to ensure that future generations understand what Dasar Dolls, known as Pattada Gombe, really mean,” Mrs. Manohar said.
Despite the health and age challenges, including the recurring back and shoulder pain, Mrs. Prasad continues to raise her craft. Her daughter admits that her family asked her to slow down, but her determination remains constant. “For her, it is not only an artistic form, but also a way to maintain a culture that promotes live creativity and community spirit,” said Mrs. Manohar.
Published – 26 September 2025 21:33
