Gombe Habba or doll festival is one of the most important festivities observed during the Dasara season. While it catches the imagination of people of all ages, it is especially a joy for young children whose creativity comes alive during the festival of dolls. Making dolls and role playing has been part of our heritage for millennia- and in the spirit of reviving our cultural heritage and enriching young minds, ELC celebrated ‘Gombe Habba’ with a lot of pomp and grandeur. Students and teachers joined hands in making and putting up a beautiful display of traditional dolls. Most of the dolls were handmade and arranged as per the traditional nine-step method.
Tradition kept alive
A special feature of the event this year was that every visitor to the Gombe Habba was presented with handmade dolls, crafted by children with special needs from Saanidhya – Residential School and Training Centre. Each gifted doll was hand-crafted by the children of ‘Saanidhya’ using traditional techniques. ELC upholds the philosophy that an individual should be given the opportunity to utilize their potential in order to live with dignity & respect and this was one way of promoting the creative side of these children and encouraging a spirit of community.
Real life experience
Changing trends get finely blended with tradition and children’s imaginations in the present-day doll festival at ELC. The Gombe Habba gets bigger and better every year, with multitudes of dolls being displayed amidst varying themes. Heroes and villains of our mythology mingle easily with dolls depicting various sports, games, armies, festivals and occupations. Clay dolls, wooden dolls, dolls made from local materials such as coconut shells, bamboo, dolls depicting different life events and favourite dolls of children were all put on display.
Being a premier institution for early learning in Mangalore, ELC believes in offering real life experiences to students that have the potential to foster life skills and acquaint them with our rich culture. Activities are structured such that there is meaningful collaboration between the teacher, student, parent and the community. The Dasara Doll Show was one such activity that familiarised young learners with tradition and encouraged hands-on participation. A celebration of life and nature and the beauty of the community coming together is what children take home with them in their hearts.
