Diwali Bommala Koluvu

This year Diwali was very special for us as we kept bommala koluvu for the first time . My mother in law keeps it every year in India , so this year I thought of keeping it in US . 

I had very few dolls with me which I bought them during my last India trip. My mom has the tradition to send few dolls n diyas to her granddaughter every year,  so I asked her to send some more for me too. Luckily I received the parcel just a day before the festival and I was very excited to set up the bommala kolluvu.

• Bommala koluvu is a doll and figurine display festival celebrated in Andhra Pradesh , Tamil Nadu & Maharastra .
• Few celebrate it during Duserra and Sankranthi. We keep it during Diwali  festival .
• The dolls are displayed by setting up odd number of steps (3,5,7,9) using wooden planks. I did not have wooden planks so I used the huge carton box for steps .
• The steps are covered with a decorative cloth, i used my new Saree to the cover the steps.
• I made this red and yellow combination torans using crepe paper . I followed by friends post for the procedure .
• Procedure :-DIY paper toran by Creative Me
• Dolls and idols of gods are arranged on the steps .
• The koluvu is decorated with  diyas , flowers and lights .
• I made  the above hand made diyas using air dry clay. I followed the procedure from my friends blog .
• Procedure :-DIY Diwali candle holders by Creative Me
• Kalasham is kept on the steps along with gowramma made from turmeric.

• Lakshmi Ashtotham is performed in the evening along with Aarthi.

• In the evenings, women within the neighborhood invite each other to visit their homes to view the Koluvu displays; they also exchange gifts and sweets.
• On the third day , one doll is moved after the pooja is performed . The koluvu is later dismantled and all the dolls are bubble wrapped and kept safely in a carton box for next year .

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