The business of traditional Golu doll artisans came to a standstill soon after the coronavirus struck in 2020.
(Photo: Erum Gour/The Quint)
Every Navratri, the traditional Golu doll makers in Tamil Nadu's Chinna Kanchipuram are a busy lot. They are inundated with orders from not only across Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, but also the US and Malaysia.
Practised traditionally by Hindu families of the state during Navratri, Golu is a festive display of dolls, mostly of gods and goddesses.
Golu dolls kept for sale at Mylapore.
They could be thematic or based on stories from religious texts or simply scenes depicting day-to-day life.
Miniature kitchen utensils on sale at Mylapore Golu market
Like everything else, the pandemic changed the lives of the artisans. Since March 2020, families who have been engaged in this business for 80-odd years, were left without any income, they tell The Quint.
Santhi, a traditional Golu doll artisan, at work at Asthagiri Street.
Dolls kept outside Santhi's house for drying
Doll maker Suresh giving finishing touches to Vinayaka doll.
The 52-year-old now has loans that run into lakhs.
As he ran out of business, interests on his loans have piled up, he said. "I'm not sure how I will repay them."
Doll maker Suresh shows his newly introduced doll of goddess Neela Dhakshayini.
Traditional Golu artisan Kannan at work.
But the artisans are hopeful now, for their business has begun reviving, slowly.
A traditional Golu doll maker at work
Suresh learnt the art from his father and has been in the doll-making business for the last 20 years. His entire family, including his wife S Sivashankari, his MBA-graduate son and his college-going daughter, are involved in the business.
Doll maker Sivashankari shows a doll kept at their house.
Artisans at work at doll maker Suresh's house.
Dolls of lord Athi Varadar stacked at Suresh's house.
On the same street, MV Rukmangadan, a Golu doll artist, was busy painting the doll of a goddess. Unlike Suresh, this 52-year-old was the first to pick this profession in his family.
Rukmangadan learnt the skill of doll making from a neighbour at 13, and has been engaged in the business ever since.
Doll maker Rukmangadan at work.
Doll maker Rukmangadan shows idol of goddess Durga
Although Rukmadangan's elder son works at a courier service, his monthly income of Rs 10,000 isn't enough to meet the family's needs, he said.
"I have to somehow make money to pay college fees for my son and arrange for a marriage for my daughter," he said.
Doll maker Rukmangadan's son Chandru at work.
As Golu dolls are usually sold around temples, the closure of temples in the weekends too has directly affected sales for the artisans.
Thanjavur Thalayatti bommais kept for sale at Chennai's Mylapore.
A shopper in Chennai's Mylapore makes video call to her daughter to show her Golu dolls.
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