Young girls and their attachment to their favourite-doll is eternal. Most young ladies in their childhood have had that one favourite doll that they could spend hours playing with. So, this shouldnt come as a total surprise when you have a young, talented lady who put her skills together to come up with the hill-state’s first-ever natural DOLL endearingly named Sureeli or Charming.
Taking to Newspost, the lady behind the doll, 33 year old Himani Thapa tells us about her journey, “I graduated from Pantnagar University and went on to do my Post Graduation from National Institute of Designing, along with a Diploma in Bamboo and Fibre Development.”
Homebound, after her five year stint at Mumbai with designing and working with indigenous fabrics from the hills, Himani started her journey with Sureeli in mind. It was in Kothaal village on the outskirts of Doon, that while she was working with a group of women did Himani realise that womenfolks had a lot of inherent talent of working wonders with their hands and mind.
With sparkle in her eyes, Himani adds, “Sureeli is 100% indigenous. It is completely natural and made from Uttarakhand’s traditional crop Bheemal or locally called Bheeku, Bheemu or Bhiyalu which has been brought in use to make Sureeli, she is draped in fabric made from stinging nettle which again a fibre made from local stinging nettle shrub.”
Himani adds, “I want to encourage women hillfolk and want them to be happy and smiling. Sureeli is as natural as the women folk of the hills and has imbibed the spirit of mountain women.”
Today, women from the interiors are trying to polish their skills and experiment with the look of the doll, much to Himani’s delight. The bright young lady already has many more innovative designs up her sleeve like Fridge Magnets; Car Hangings; Bags and many such souvenirs made-in and from completely natural products Uttarakhand’s rich flora, fauna and forests have to offer.
If you too would like to get your hands on the this adorable doll which brings with it a waft of mountain air, then you can place your order with Soham Art and Museum, Mussoorie.
