The tradition of arranging dolls (gombe) for Dasara might date back to centuries ago, but the present-day observers of the tradition have added a modern touch. This has led to the production of unique dolls and doll sets every year. After Covid-19 themed dolls in 2021, this year, the prominent themes include monuments, occupations and ones that convey a social message. The traditional themes are based on the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Dashavathara.
Some of the creative pieces in the markets this year include a pani puri seller, breastfeeding women, Charlie Chaplin figurine, models of Kumbabhisheka, scenes from the life of Raghavendra swami, Puri Jagannath temple, models of late actor Puneeth Rajkumar, replicas of the Vidhana Soudha and High Court of Karnataka. The regular sets — school, cricket team, jamboo savari, village — are a common sight in shops.
Along with the usual customers, first-timers were enthusiastically shopping at Gandhi Bazaar and Malleswaram. The prices of the dolls range from ₹100 to ₹20,000 this year.
