Navarathri (meaning "Nine
Nights") is one of the Hindu festival celebrated for goddess Durga. Dolls
plays a major role in these festival period. Dolls are displayed on Golu padi
or Golu stand which are in different sizes mostly odd numbered (usually 3, 5,
7, 9, or 11) are set up using wooden planks. People who have small home with
less dolls prefer to go with 3 to 5 steps and others keep it in grand manner
with 9 or 11 steps. Whatever the size of the golu stand, the celebration and happiness remains same in both
cases.
In this year 2015, the festival
starts on Tuesday i.e. 13th October whereas the first set of three days are for
goddess Durga, the second three days are for Lakshmi and the last three days
are for Saraswathi. Saraswathi pooja / Ayudha pooja is celebrated on the ninth
day of Navarathri.
Exclusively for Navarathri
festival there are online furniture in Chennai who are specialized in manufacturing, supplying and retailing Golu
Stands offers good deal to purchase the stands / steps. Some are made from
slotted angle and panels which are multipurpose stand which can be dismantled
and converted to storage rack after Golu season.
Consider the below points for the
unlimited fun
- The golu steps needs to be covered with white cloth
- Tuck the cloth with the stand using safety pin or bell pins
- Keep Traditional dolls, marapachi dolls, god idols
- Keep Kalasam, Mirror, serial light and some decorative lamps
- Dasavatharam set, Ashta lakshmi set, Ganesha set & Kalyana set
- Other idols like freedom fighters, kids, saints
- Flower pond in some pot like vessel
- After arranging all these dolls,draw a rangoli in front of the golu
- Place two lamps on both the sides of Golu
- Keep the house open with lights on all the nine days
- Invite kids, young girls, and ladies to see the golu and honour them by giving prasadam, gifts or thamboolam
- Prepare and distribute protein rich food like sundal varieties
- Navadanyas sprouts (sprouted wheat, mustard seeds, ragi or millet seeds, moong dhal, etc.)
After the ninth day, dismantle
them on tenth day morning and keep in a box covered with newspapers &
thermocoal safely for next year’s usage. There are websites available who
provide workshop to make Golu at home, dolls available online and golu steps, steps can be purchased
online.
