Navaratri or the Golu Festival is celebrated widely in South India. In ancient days, golu bommais were made up of clay. As everything changes day by day, people started keeping dolls made up of paper mache, terra Kota, hand made dolls, miniature sets in brass vessels, etc. But I feel clay dolls especially the old ones are very much attractive, very divine with good finishing. The most important of Navaratri is the combination of bakthi and celebration in recent years because people started to keep golu as a theme and children are also involved and get to know the stories of God. Through this our Sanatana Darma is passed on to next generation as well.
Navaratri is the celebration of the 3 Sakthis - Godess Durga Devi, Saraswathi & Lakshmi. It is celebrated usually for 10 days and 9 nights during Purattasi / Ayppasi (Tamil month). Celebrations differ in different parts of India but ultimately it is dedicated to Sakthi. We celebrate Saraswathi Puja, Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami during Navaratri. Durga festival is celebrated in a grand manner in northern parts of India.
During Navaratri, at homes, there is a practice of doing 'Devi Mahatmyam' (Sapthasathi Parayanam) which consists of 700 verses. We have Suvasini Puja and Kanya Puja during Navaratri. It is believed that doing this parayanam, we will get good health and wealth and one will win over enemies. The same is performed in temples when they doChandi Homam along with Suvasini and Kanya pujas. Goddess Parvati & Durga sannadhis look with special alankaram during Navaratri in temples.
In Devi Mahatmyam 9 forms of Durga Devi are mentioned namely Shailputri Devi, Brahmacharini Devi, Chandraghanta Devi, Kushmanda Devi, Skandamata Devi, Katyayani Devi, Kaalratri Devi, Devi Mahagauri and Siddhidatri Devi.
Navaratri Golu 2023
Working on a particular theme of dolls is really an enjoyable one as we used to discuss with the family members atleast a month before and start preparing for it.
We kept three themes as Trisakthi (women empowerment), Brahma Mohana Krishna Leela, Tiruvarur temple - Jananath Kamalalaye. Trisakthi - Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi are worshipped during Navaratri who give us courage, knowledge and wealth respectively.
We also had dolls like Tirupathi Venkatachalapathy and Padmavathy thayar, Siva, Dasavataram set, Panduranga Rakmayee set,Chakrathazhwar / Yoga Narasimha set, Maha Periava, Adi Sankarar, Durga, Policeman, Chettiayar Mama mami set and so on.
Brahma Mohana Krishna Leela - Krishna teaches Brahma that he is everywhere . Everything turns like Krishna when Brahma visits Gokulam and confused who is the real Krishna in the midst of all. Through this Brahma's ego is destroyed and surrenders to Krishna.
Tiruvarur temple - specialties of this temple like Kamalalayam pond, Car festival which is known to be big one among all temples,Veda parayan, Band music, kutchery, elephants during procession. Naalvar visits temple, Sangitha mumurthigal visits temple, madapalki( kitchen) is displayed, temple pond.
I am happy to share my experience with The Golu Studio.
- Divyashree Karthikeyan, Nanganallur
