Did you know that the Daruma doll of Japan represents perseverance? When one buys this doll, both the eyes are blank. Once you decide on something you want accomplish, you draw the left eye and make a wish. On completion of the goal, one must draw the right eye. Dolls are more than just artefacts; they represent a rich tapestry of art, tradition, socio-cultural values and human history. And one person who is passionate about dolls and their history, craftsmanship and social significance is Mumbai resident Neha Parekh. With an eclectic collection of 1,500 pieces and counting, Parekh’s passion project is a story of dedication, rigour and attention to detail.
Parekh, who holds a degree in Business Management, says, “My family has roots in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and growing up we owned a large haveli there. My childhood memories are full of playing in the haveli, waking up to the sounds of the aarti at Mehrangarh Palace which was right behind, my great grandfather’s baithak, my great grandmother’s bandhej... These are just some of the things that left a lasting impression on me. All this inculcated a love for culture in me.”
Building the collection was never a sudden decision as she was always fascinated by dolls, puppets etc. While she knew that she wanted to build something, Covid gave her the luxury of time. It also gave her the time to research and build a network of artisans from all over the country she could connect with. Among the first pieces she collected were clay dolls from Lucknow made by the last practising artisan Mahesh Kumarji. Parekh regularly conducts workshops for children, educating them about the rich cultural history of dolls and the craft behind it. “I often become a travelling museum of sorts. I carry some of our best pieces to the schools and create a museum-like setup. I then walk groups of children through each exhibit and use videos and reference images to explain their significance,” she says.
Most of Parekh’s collection has been sourced from her travels. She has some rare dolls like the 80-yearold Kunbi figurines of Goa, clay Kanthalia dolls of West Bengal and the lacquered Jaukandhei dolls of Balasore, Odisha. Also present are the Hinamatsuri dolls of Japan and those from Khorosan, along the Iran-Afghanistan border. “I bought a set of Vietnamese figurines from an old antique shop in Chiang Mai, Thailand that was run by a group of old Thai women. The dolls had been handpicked by them in their youth,” she says. Little wonder that she has amassed a collection of dolls from over 25 countries. She documents her collection on her Instagram page titled The Doll and Figurine Project.