Blue Thanjavur Bommai – Hand-painted Tanjore Dancing Doll tholu bommalata decor or as part of a

or as part of a devotional wall alongside other Krishna and Saraswathi pieces

The elephant has long been a favoured figure in Andhra Pradesh's Tholu Bommalatha shadow-puppet tradition

closer to the first light of dawn than to a festival crowd

The hands themselves are hand-painted with fine attention to the jewellery and the soft shading of the skin

This block-and-pen school of Kalamkari

Blue Thanjavur Bommai – Hand-painted Tanjore Dancing Doll tholu bommalata decor or as part of aThanjavur Dolls also called Tanjore Dolls or Thalaiyatti Bommai, meaning "nodding head doll" trace their history back to the 19th century court of Serfoji II in Thanjavur, whose fascination with mechanical toys and love of vibrant colour gave rise to this now GI registered craft (recognised by the Government of India in 2008). Blue is a cooler, quieter departure from the reds and oranges more commonly associated with Tanjore craft, making this Bommai