In South India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh) women prepare special displays for the celebration of the nine-day Navaratri festival. They have various names: golu bommai, bombe habba, bommala koluvu, but they all have the same purpose. Dolls arranged on nine steps represent various occurring from gods’ and mortals’ history, everyday rituals or elements of tradition. Figurines presented in our display come from many regions of India, but they are arranged according to custom.

curator: Barbara Ewa Banasik