An exhibition cum sales of Kolu Bommai is organized by Vanitha Vibhagam of Kerala Brahmana Sabha, Ernakulam City Unit at Gramajana Samooham (Ground Floor of Sita Rama Kalyana Mandapam), Ernakulam. The sales counter will be open from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, the 2nd and 3rd of October 2010. Over 15000 Bommais in 115 varieties are on display, collected mainly from Vellacheri Village of Madurai, Mantutty Village of Salem and small villages in and around Kancheepuram. Price ranges from Rupees 35 to 3000 and some sets are having 20 to 30 pieces depending on the theme. The Bommais are basically thematic and made of clay or paper pulp. Dasavatharam, Ashtalakshmi, Ramar-Pattabhishekam, Valli Kalyanam, Sreenivasa Kalyanam, Uri-Krishnan etc. are the usual attractions. Few rare sets of Krishna and Kuchelan are also made available here. “Last year the most wanted piece was Pandurangan, and the idol of ‘Chottanikkara Ammai’ which is to be launched this year will be the attraction of this season” - said Kala Narayanaswami, Secretary of Vanitha Vibhagam.
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The Navratri or Dasara kolu is displayed on stairs created from wood. The number of steps depends on the availability of the dolls. The maximum number is nine – representing the nine days of Navratri. Usually, the steps erected are even numbers – 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11.
There are no hard and fast rules for arranging the dolls. Nowadays, the arrangement depends on the availability of dolls. In most places, the entire nine steps will be filled with statues of various gods and goddesses in Hindu pantheon. For some, the Navratri Kolu is a simple arrangement of various deities in three steps.
The topmost three steps are dedicated to various gods and goddesses. In some areas, people place a ‘Purna Kumbham’ on the topmost step.
The next three steps – 4, 5 and 6 – are dedicated to Gurus, saints, religious personalities and other highly respected figures in the country and world.
The seventh step is dedicated to various social activities and festivals. People depict marriages and important festivals in this step.
Business, crafts and other economic activities are depicted in the eighth step. Creative women depict a buzzing market place and other activities.
The ninth step is dedicated to dolls made of wood. Dolls of men, women, children, animals and birds are placed in this step.
During Bommai Kolu, the entire neighborhood, friends and relatives gather in a house and sing bhajans dedicated to Goddess Durga. Special sweets are prepared during the period.
On the Vijayadashami day (the tenth day), the dolls are taken out.
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