The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `Kolu', the latest import from Japan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 03, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Kolu', the latest import from Japan

Swahilya

CELEBRATING JAPAN'S CULTURE: Sakura Ozaki, Vice-Consul, Consulate General of Japan, looks at a doll at the exhibition of Japanese dolls in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: The emperor Obina, the empress Mebina, the court ladies Sannin-kanjo and other Japanese dolls have been displayed in `kolu' style at an exhibition organised by the Consulate General of Japan and the ABK-AOTS Dosokai at the Naagaki Yamamoto Hall in Aminjikarai.

Opening the exhibition, Sakura Ozaki, Vice-Consul, Consulate General of Japan, recalled how she celebrated the doll festival with the set of dolls her parents got her.

M.R. Ranganathan, chairman, ABK-AOTS Dosokai, said the Tamil Nadu centre organised the annual exhibition in March to coincide with "Hina Matsuri," the Japanese dolls festival. The display of dolls marks the festival celebrated on March 3, during which the Japanese pray for the health and happiness of girls. In the past, they used to float paper Hina dolls on streams or rivers and pray that their sickness and misfortune be carried away similarly. Among those who spoke were Kazumi Homma of The Asian Students Cultural Association, who is exploring the possibility of bringing Japanese students to Indian educational institutions.

Among other dolls exhibited were the warior Kabuto, the God of wealth Ebisu, the Buddhist priest Bo San, the watermelon eater Suika Gui, and sets of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. up to March 4.

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