Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay Featured in Navarathri Golu Dolls

Artisans at Kumaran Anugraha Kalyana Mandapam in West Mambalam have added Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to this year’s Navarathri Golu displays.

At least two doll makers at the venue have made dolls inspired by the actor-turned-politician, reflecting his presence in the imagination of Golu doll makers.

A six-inch clay figure in gold and multi-colour

Artisan Kavitha Munusamy chose to recreate Mr. Vijay’s slashing hand gesture in a six-inch-tall clay doll finished in gold and multi-colour.

“We are all fans of Mr. Vijay at home, and that particular gesture in the Assembly remains in our minds. He had posted a photo along with Ministers with the same gesture after his party won the by-election, which is why I too chose to make the Vijay doll with that gesture,” she said.

The gesture therefore became the central detail of the doll, rather than a generic representation of the Chief Minister.

At the stall next to hers, manned by Kalaichelvan, dolls of Lord Ganesha have been fashioned on Mr. Vijay.

Ganesha dolls modelled on Vijay

“ This year during Pillayar Chathurthi, there were many idols fashioned on the Chief Minister. They were wearing party-coloured clothes, coolers like him, and were even seen riding a bicycle like him. So we chose to make smaller Ganeshas like that for Golu,” said Mr. Kalaichelvan.

The Ganesha dolls bring together the religious figure and visual elements associated with Mr. Vijay, including party-coloured clothes, coolers and a bicycle.

Dolls of leaders and personalities have long been found in many homes as part of Golu displays.

The figures mentioned among such dolls include Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Subramania Bharathi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore and Thiruvalluvar.

In recent times, artisans have also made dolls of former Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalithaa.

The inclusion of Mr. Vijay places his dolls within this broader tradition of representing public figures through Golu figures, while the designs at the West Mambalam venue draw specifically on gestures and appearances associated with him.

Sales continue in West Mambalam and Mylapore

The sale of Golu dolls will continue till Monday night at Kumaran Anugraha, while sales along the roads in West Mambalam and Mylapore will continue for a few more days.

For shoppers planning ahead, the later part of the festival is also considered a time to buy dolls for the following year’s Golu.

Many shoppers, including L. Sahana, use this period to look for doll sets and larger dolls at more affordable prices.

“I usually make a quick visit to the following shops for picking up doll sets and large dolls at more affordable prices. Vendors will reduce the prices of dolls since they will not want to carry them back home,” she said.

She said the period is also suitable for buying individual pieces to complete existing sets.

“It is also a good time to pick up small single pieces like a Muruga idol without the mountain, or a Hanuman that went missing from the Rama Sita set,” she added.

Source: The Hindu