Gombes: Traditional Channapatna Dolls
We are reviving the Channapatna Gombe tradition, bringing folklore and festive joy to your home with hand-painted, lac-turned wooden dolls.
For centuries, the toy town of Channapatna has been known to make dolls or 'Gombes' for the festival of Navratri. Here are some of our bestsellers from the Golu collection, including the Yakshaganas and Kathakali dolls.
The festive season is here, and we couldn't be more excited as this means our Varnam toy family finds new homes. These glossy, colorful, and hand-painted dolls represent decades of a tradition that is characteristic of Channapatna.
It's been over a decade of reinterpreting this craft, and I realized how important it was to also display it in its original form. This reel shows some classics, like the nesting dolls and dolls depicting scenes from daily village life.
Navratri is the time when we showcase the hand-painted wooden dolls we have revived over the years. These dolls, born from the rich heritage of Channapatna, whisper of simpler times and celebrate India’s vibrant cultural history.
Part two of our Dasara Gombe Classics are back in stock. This video features the beloved Basavas and the majestic Mysuru Gaja elephants, essential pieces for any traditional Golu display.
Theyyam meets Channapatna. We’ve brought the spirit of North Kerala’s vibrant ritual art form to life through the age-old toy craft. Each handcrafted doll is a tribute to Theyyam’s fiery reds and divine energy.
The twirling Theyyam is our take on this beautiful dance form in our signature Channapatna style. This stackable design makes a beautiful decorative object and also takes on a new form every time you stack it up.
Our biggest hit at a recent exhibition was this colorful and cute bobble-headed Theyyam doll, a mini version of our popular stackable 'Twirling Theyyams'.
Our stacking Theyyam doll is a contemporary take on Channapatna toys, where each time you stack its parts differently, it takes on a new 'Roopa' or Avatar, just like the many forms of this powerful folk dance.
Our all-time classic Kathakali and our new Theyyam bobble heads are an absolute hit. We've made them available as a special gift set for the Onam season, a true collector’s set for anyone who loves the beauty of Kerala.
About Gombes: A Festival of Dolls
A note on care: These dolls are crafted from medicinal Aale mara (ivory wood) and finished with natural, non-toxic dyes. Because they rely on traditional lac-turnery and delicate hand-painting, they are decorative keepsakes, meant for display, rather than toys for young children to play with.
For centuries, Channapatna has been the quiet heartbeat of Indian toy making, known for producing 'Gombes'—the traditional dolls that anchor festive displays like Navratri Golu. Over the last decade, we have worked to bring these figures back into contemporary homes, not as relics, but as living pieces of our heritage.
The Art of the Gombe
Each figure, whether it is the Kathakali dancer or the majestic Mysuru Gaja, begins its life on a lathe. Our artisans, including Dilip and his team, use Wrightia Tinctoria, a medicinal wood that is gentle to work with. The process is slow by design. After the wood is turned, we apply natural lac and paint each face with precision. You will notice the difference in the finish—it has a certain rustic depth that factory-made plastic figures lack.
Collections and Stories
We don't just reproduce old forms; we look for stories. Our 'Tenshi Kogo' pair is a tribute to the cross-cultural history of the region, where a Maharaja once sent an artisan to Japan, leading to these distinct Emperor and Empress figures. We have also reimagined the fiery energy of Theyyam, a ritual art form from Kerala, into stackable, vibrant wooden dolls.
Styling Your Space
These Gombes are versatile. While they are the centerpiece of any traditional Golu arrangement during Dasara, they work just as well as standalone accents on a bookshelf or a console table. Because every piece is hand-painted, no two dolls are identical. You are bringing home a small piece of Channapatna that is uniquely yours.
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