Daruma dolls (Bodhidharma)
Daruma dolls are symbols of good luck, hope and optimism.
Daruma is short for Bodai Daruma, the Japanese rendering of the name. These are spherical dolls with a red painted body and a white face. Paint in one eye with a black pen, make a wish and when that wish comes true, paint in the other other eye. Daruma are often used by people wishing to pass exams, win an election or conceive a child.
Daruma dolls usually made of paper mache, weighted on the bottom so they always stand up, even when pushed- symbolic of Bodhidharma’s persistence in meditation. There are many versions of Daruma in the various localities of Japan, some of them designated as female-”ehime daruma,” or “princess daruma.” One type is made with a gofun face and rich fabrics like a kimekomi ningyo, but shaped like a Daruma; these often come in boy-girl pairs.
They represent the Zen monk Bodhidharma. Takasaki’s Shorinzan Daruma Temple is the birthplace of daruma dolls as good luck charms.
Tags: Bodhidharma, daruma, good luck, good luck dolls, hope dolls, japanese dolls
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