An industry in the ‘dolldrums’

COVID-19 has severely affected doll-making clusters in Tamil Nadu. Changes in government policies and a steady rise in raw material cost have added to their woes.

Every year as September gives way to October and skies turn a gloomy grey with the north-east monsoon waiting to make its wet and windy way into Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Navarathri celebrations come to lend colour to homes. Thousands of traditional artisans who have worked dolls of clay and papier-mâché eagerly await discerning buyers to choose their dolls and add uniqueness to ‘kolu’ at their homes.

Did you know that a traditional ‘kolu’ doll-maker starts his work on Vijayadasami, the 10thday of Navarathri, to get his wares ready for next year’s festival? Such is the quantum of work that goes into the dolls that are spread out on the footpaths of Mylapore and West Mambalam ahead of the season.