Golu dolls from north India

While clay, plaster of paris, papier-mâché idols of all forms and colours form a big part of my collection, I wanted to branch out a bit and pick up some poly resin / marble dust idols. I procured them from

North India, although there are manufacturers available in the south as well. The main reason is that I found a vendor who has got quite a huge variety of deities with gorgeous stone decor and splendid colours. The payment was made online and since it was a huge order, it did take about ten days to get shipped all the way to me. But they were worth the wait, and how! 

The deities made with this material are predominantly of milk-white complexion. Velvet clothing with stone, bead or sequin work is often part of the idol. Sometimes the clothing is painted on. There is a lot of focus on remarkably beautiful and colourful jewellery with stones, beads and so on. Overall, the idols are quite ornate, and present a picture of peace and prosperity. 

What attracted me the most is the opulent decoration of each idol and the lavish use of bright colours. A single medium to big idol of this sort can really spice up a display and draw the eyes in. Each idol is a big burst of colour, and makes for a great showpiece as well. 

These idols are obviously more durable than those made with the more damage-prone materials like clay, but still need careful handling because of all the ornamentation. They are very beautiful and can easily spark love and Bhakti in us. Baby Krishna I got is adorable, with the big eyes and pink lips. Vaishno Devi in blessing form seated on her tiger, Ram durbar, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and others in my rather big purchase are majestic in all their splendour. I have put up a couple of pictures as examples. 

Among the ones that have come home to me, one that I would like to specially mention is the simhaganapathi, looking resplendent and powerful. The other Ganesha I bought is a baby form that is charming and totally captures any heart. Mahishasuramardini Durga looks powerful, elegant and protective. Krishna-Radha, and Arthanareeswarar, are regal and delightful. 

I am quite happy with the set that I have been blessed with, and plan to use them in my golu this year to add beauty and elegance. I will probably be displaying them year-round as well. There are so many more in the vendor’s collection that attracted me, and maybe one day I would have another shopping spree and add more to my home! Meanwhile, I am readying the dolls for worship, and can’t have enough of the visual feast before me!