navaratri bommai golu
The Thanjavur doll is an ancient type of doll, which looks very attractive for its peculiar characteristic features, and it is very much liked by the young children.In general, this type of doll portrays in dancing form, and the heads of the doll would keep oscillating.Still these types of dolls are popular among the people of Tamil Nadu, and most of them would purchase these types of dolls during the Navaratri Festival times, in order to keep it in their Navaratri Golu.
In Tamil Nadu, if a husband obeys the orders of his wife, and if he is afraid of her, the people around him, used to call him as “THANJAVUR THALAYATI BOMMAI”, which means, the husband is dancing to the tunes of his wife, and also oscillates his head as per the likes of his wife. It is also considered as a symbol of good omen, since these types of dolls are believed to have contains special powers.
Ancient people used to buy these types of dolls in large numbers at the time of wedding, and they would gift it to the bridegroom’s family, since it is believed that by bringing these dolls to the homes of the newly wedded couple would brighten their lives.
These types of dolls are mentioned in ancient Tamil texts, and the ancient Tamil kings would make special orders to the makers of these dolls, and would buy hundreds of dolls, in order to make it to decorate in their palaces. It is best to keep the doll of a dancer woman in our homes in the form of blessing posture, since it would give good happiness and peacefulness in our lives.
By buying and keeping these types of dolls in our homes, we are also lighting the lamps in the lives of the makers of the dolls. The great king Rajaraja Chola who had built the famous Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, had kept thousands of Thanjavur dolls at his palace, and as a result, he gave a golden rule.
Still now, in some of the houses of the rich people, we can find big Thanjavur idols placed at the main hall, which would be in the form of greeting posture, and they would warmly welcome the guests with an attractive smile.
“OM”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR