Significance of Marapachi Bommai doll in Kolu

Significance of Marapachi Bommai doll in Kolu

Article I:

Marapachi Dolls are an indispensable part of Navaratri Bommai Kolu doll arrangements. Marapachi Bommai literally means wooden toys. Golu or Kolu is the display of dolls during Navratri in South India especially in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Kerala. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the display is known as Bommalu Koluvu. Marapachi wooden dolls are figures that were made for children from dark wood. They were toys for children in ancient days. But today they are confined to the Golu display.

Marapachi Dolls are a pair of male and female dolls which forms the most important part of Navarathri Golu arrangements. They are sold as a couple – male and female. The dolls are mostly made of reddish wood. They are finely carved and are available in various sizes. During display, the wooden couple is beautifully adorned with colorful attires and jewellery.

Marapachi dolls are a proud possession for many people and are handed down generations. There is also a tradition of parents gifting their married daughter Marapachi bommai so that she can start Navratri Kolu display in her house.

In some Tamil Communities, there is a ritual of symbolic wedding of the Marapachi dolls. Only women participate in the ceremony. This is usually done by girls whose wedding are delayed for some reason.

The female doll in Marapachi dolls is displayed to the right of the male doll and is usually placed on the first step or after Lord Ganesh.

Marapachi dolls are mainly made in Tirupati.

Article II:

Every south Indian girl is entitled to her precious pair of Marapachi Bommais at the time of her marriage. Tradition dictates that the bommais are brought out in display, every year, at the time of Navarathiri. The bride's parents present the bommais (dolls) to the bride and initiate the yearly tradition of Navarathiri Gollu in her new home with her husband. These bommais come as couples dressed in their wedding attire, signifying the start of the bride's Gollu collection, which then grows over the years with the addition of various clay dolls from the southern part of India.

Marapachi bommais are special dolls from Tirupathi, the land of Lord Venkateshwara. Some explain the word Marapachi as a special kind of wood that has medicinal values and hence the name Marapachi Bommai - dolls made of marapachi. And like any age-old tradition, you can't help but wonder, what is the significance of Marapachi Bommais? Some believe that these dolls were presented to the bride and the groom at the time of marriage as toys for the couple. After all when two people, rather two children, get married at the age of ten what better gift than toys to keep them happy. So, it is reckoned that they were truly for enjoyment purposes to please the little couple. My father brought yet another very interesting reason to my attention. He was told that these dolls dressed in their wedding attire helped in capturing the moment in the days where technology was clearly non-existent. In the absence of pictures, what better way to remember the way you looked when you were married!