VISAKHAPATNAM: In a quiet neighbourhood of Vizag, inside a modest home, rows of dolls are arranged with care and devotion. They represent gods, goddesses, mythological stories, village life, musicians and festive scenes.
For Satya Madhuri Lakshmi, a 48-year-old homemaker, these are not just decorative items. They are keepers of memory, belief and a tradition that fewer families now follow. For the past 15 years, Madhuri has been practising Bommalu Koluvu, a tradition of arranging dolls during the Navaratri festival. What began as a small arrangement using her daughter’s toys has now grown into a five-step display featuring dolls collected from different states during her travels.
“I started this when my daughter was three years old. Today, it has become a way of life for me,” says Madhuri, carefully placing a figurine of Venkateswara Swamy at the top of the arrangement. “Every year, we add one or two new dolls. I collect them from temple towns like Kanchipuram and Coimbatore, and from local fairs and jataras. Each doll has a story.”
Bommalu Koluvu, also known as Golu in Tamil Nadu and Bombe Habba in Karnataka, is more than a visual display. Traditionally observed during Navaratri, it is meant to honour the feminine divine, pass on cultural stories and bring families and communities together. The dolls are typically arranged in odd-numbered steps and depict scenes from Hindu epics, daily life and folklore.
Madhuri is aware that the practice is slowly disappearing. “Many people have stopped doing it. That is why I feel a responsibility to keep it going. This tradition has come from my mother’s home and I want to pass it on,” she says.
While most households follow the custom for nine days, Madhuri extends her ‘koluvu’ to 15 days. This year, it began on September 22 and will continue until October 7. She performs daily prayers, offers prasadam and gives thambulam to visiting women, following the rituals that have been part of this tradition for generations.
“There is a belief that when we arrange these dolls, gods and goddesses come to reside in them. It brings Lakshmi into the home. That belief is the heart of this tradition,” she explains.
She also addresses a cultural notion that the custom is mainly for families with daughters. “It is often said that only parents of girls should do koluvu because girls are more likely to play with dolls. Boys are seen as not interested in such things. But I believe anyone who respects the tradition can keep it alive,” she says.
Among her favourite additions this year are the nine avatars of Goddess Durga, ordered from Coimbatore, and a newly purchased Goddess Meenakshi idol. Her collection also includes traditional Etikoppaka toys from Andhra Pradesh and handmade figurines from across India.
“My ‘koluvu’ has grown with time, just like my family. It started small, but it carries meaning and memory. This is not just a festive display, it is a way of inviting divinity into our home,” she says. Next year, Madhuri is already planning a larger setup, with more steps and new additions.