Nine days of Navrati/ Golu| Festival Blog by Sandya, 14, Chennai

Navratri, Durga Pooja, Dusshera, Ayudh Pooja …what a time of the year, for celebrations throughout the country!

Here is a wonderful write up by 14 year old Sandya B Rajan from Chennai, talking of the wonderful tradition of keeping dolls or ‘golus'(Kannada: Gombe Habba , Tamil: Bomma Kolu, Telugu: Bommala Koluvu) a festive display of dolls and figurines in South India during the autumn festive season, particularly around the multiday Navaratri (Dussehra, Dasara) festival.

Sandya B Rajan is studying 9 th standard in NSN Memorial School, Chennai. She is very creative and loves doodling and painting.  Sandya is interested in  reading history books.

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Navaratri is my favourite part of the year!

“Nava” means nine and “ratri” means night. The festival is celebrated for nine  nights. We worship the Durga goddess on these days.

The dolls adorning our living room, spreads positive energy and happiness.  The Golu that we keep, reminds us of the stories of gods and goddesses.  Mainly the little children in the house learn their family tradition and customs.

The Navratri Golu depicts scenes from ancient times – celebrated Indian stories that have been passed on from generation to generation like the Ramayana, Puranas, and the Dashavataram. This is the time of the year when you revisit those precious lessons from  timeless, age-old stories.

The steps may also be interpreted as the evolution ladder that we are all  traversing in the journey of life.

These days we invite our friends and relatives and  share our memories. Also visit their homes to see their golu. All this makes us happy.

And the most important aspect of keeping golu is teamwork (family work). All  the members of the family come together to arrange and decorate the golu  and make it a master piece!

May peace and prosperity come to your home this Navaratri.

HAPPY NAVARATRI!