Russia – Matryoshka Dolls

Prakash Hegade 17 Comments

It’s April of 2021 and Day 18 of the A to Z challenge. This year, I am doing the theme – “Travel the World.” I am visiting countries from A to Z and presenting stories with 8 line poems.

Day 18 Country: Russia

I had a hard time selecting one from the world’s largest country Russia. Potential superpower, high human development index, rich in culture, tourism, art, cuisines, museums, lakes, artefacts, there were numerous known’s to pick one. I finally made peace with Matryoshka dolls. Also known as babushka dolls, stacking dolls, nesting dolls, Russian tea dolls etc. are a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another. The first Russian nested doll set was made in 1890. They are a traditional representation of the mother carrying a child within her. The doll set envisages chain of mothers carrying on the family legacy through the child in their womb – usually a set of nested 5 dolls (the original older set had 8).

Credits: by 0x010C – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37316716

Poem:

Bravery will house brave,
Real, more real.
Dreams grow likewise,
Zeal and passion along.
However, one must be,
fearless enough,
To stand,
And stay still.

In similar ways, the fearful will gather more fear and carry the same legacy.

17 thoughts on “Russia – Matryoshka Dolls”

  1. Sometimes, standing still takes every ounce of bravery we have. So true.

    I love these dolls! I was once staring at the picture on the internet when dad told me these are made in India as well, that too for a long time. In fact, Etikoppaka in Andhra is famous for these dolls as they are made from natural dyes. 😀

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  2. I lived in Russia from 1992 to 1994 and bought sets for most of my family and many of my fruends and a few for myself. I’m from the Chicago area and went to Russia during the original 3 yar period where the Chicago Bulls were NBA champs. Because of Michael Jordan the Bulls were very popular in Russian and I have a set of dolls that were Bulls players from that era.

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  3. I first saw these dolls at a neighbor’s house who had returned from Mexico when I was small, these Matryoshka dolls or stacking dolls are very attractive and cute. I later came to know they are symbolic of family and fertility.

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  4. Lovely post about Russia Prakash. Did you know I am 1/4 Russian on my Maternal side? My Mother’s Father Harold (his Canadian name) was from Russia. He managed to bring HIS Parents over to Canada back in 1920’s. Unfortunately my Grandfather Harold died long b4 I was born & my Great Grandmother Bashe died b4 I was born. My middle name is in her memory. I DID know my GreatGrandfather Yossel. He was an Orthodox Jewish man who wore traditional black clothes & head covering. He had long sideburns called Payot. I used to sit on Yossel’s lap & twirl his Payot around my finger. He spoke Russian, Hebrew & Yiddush. I spoke German & English….so my Father or Nanna had to translate for us both. I ADORED Yossel. He did know 2 words of English: “Sherri-ellen Sweetheart”….He passed away when I was 8 years olf. I have old black & white photos of him with his wife Bashe & the entire family…treasured photos & treasured memories.
    Your poem reminds me of my Ancestors who had to be strong as they travelled from country to country trying to find a place to call home.
    ((hugs)) Sherri-Ellen

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  5. I love these dolls. One of the local museums here had a special exhibit of Matryoshka dolls and it was beautiful – the traditional designs, the satirical designs, and the ones with folklore images. So fun and fascinating. Thanks for sharing!

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