From a Lakshmi statue to 108 handmade dolls

CHENNAI: Step into Kodungaiyur in North Chennai and ask someone, “Kolam podravanga veedu enga irukku?” (where is the house of the person who draws kolams), and they will likely point you to Amutha’s home. The 55-year-old homemaker is known in the neighbourhood for the artistic kolams. Over the past decade, she has taken her creativity from the floor to a collection of around 108 handmade dolls that she displays during Navaratri.

Amutha has always enjoyed art and crafts. She began drawing kolams, which became popular in her neighbourhood, before trying her hand at making dolls. The idea came when she wanted to keep a golu display at home but found that the dolls available in shops were expensive and didn't match what she had in mind. “I wanted to keep golu, but when I went to buy dolls, they seemed expensive. The ones available were also not quite how I wanted them to be.

So I thought, why not try making them myself?” she says.

Her first attempt was a statue of Goddess Lakshmi. When it turned out well, she decided to make more. Amutha started with four or five dolls a year and added to the collection little by little. Today, her home has around 108 sculptures, which she arranges for the annual golu display.

Amutha uses white cement to make the dolls. She shapes the figures, works on their faces and bodies and paints them herself. The clothes, jewellery and other details are also hand-painted. She learned the process on her own, trying different techniques until she gets the results she wants. “I have never had anyone teach me how to make these dolls. I learned everything by myself; it is my interest and passion that made me continue,” she says.

Her collection goes beyond statues of deities. Amutha has also made sets depicting occasions such as a baby shower and a wedding. The baby shower set has women seated around an expectant mother, with her husband standing beside her. "The wedding set includes a bride and groom, along with a miniature marriage mandapam that I made using cardboard and fabric. I have added details such as a homakundam and a priest to complete the wedding scene," adds the artist. Each set takes shape through her own ideas, with small elements added to make the scenes look familiar.

Among the largest pieces in her collection are statues of Goddess Lakshmi and Vinayagar, both measuring about 21 inches. She has also made a statue of Goddess Saraswati holding a veena, which she crafted herself.

Her neighbours have watched the growth of the collection over the years. "Many visit our home during Navaratri to see the golu and are surprised to learn that the dolls are handmade," she says. What began as an attempt to make the dolls she could not find in shops has grown into a collection that her neighbours look forward to seeing every Navaratri.