Granny’s Golu

First time my grandmother has arranged a Golu at her home and she has been collecting idols and dolls for more than a year and she herself has done some things in ice cream sticks and straws. She has been working on handicraft things for some time now as a pastime and become more passionate about it lately want to display her items and her collection from the recent tour to Gujarat and Rajasthan has much inspired to go for a Golu.

(click image to enlarge)

Golu is a custom conducted during the festival of Navaratri in South India, is an exhibition of various dolls and idols kept at homes by the families who follow it traditionally and anyone at their belief and willingness. Navaratri, which means nine nights, is a Hindu festival celebrated in India is devoted to the goddess of power, wealth and knowledge. Durga, being the main goddess of the festival is worshiped throughout the nine days in various forms, ends at the 10th day known as Vijayadashami or Dussehra is the highlight of the festival.

The Golu adds glitter and gleam to the festival by the display of colourful idols and dolls at homes and some public places caught everyone’s attention esp. kids who are more attracted to it. In childhood days our parents used to take us to our great father house to check their Golu on invite and it would be very nice to see the arrangement of idols on step series and floor at below with set of things like playing cricket, marriage ceremony, farming at field, forest with wild animals and hills, blinking around in serial lights.

On this occasion the houses that hold Golu provide snacks to visitors that offered to the idols that day and there would be a variety of snack as Prasad every day and a small gift bag will be given back while return. Some of our neighbours have Golu every year at their houses and invite mom to check… and this year too mom went to come back with small gift as boxes and plates and Prasad.

Parents going through fast on non-veg throughout the Tamil month of Puratasi, mom helped grandmother in arranging idols along with cousin sister. My grandmother wishes to check me the arrangement of Golu, but being unable to visit her home due to discomfort I really miss the Golu coming from my own family and that too from my sweet grandmother. These photos were taken by my cousin to let me see how the grandmother’s Golu comes out.