Golu is the beautiful display or arrangement of dolls in South India during Navarathri which falls in the autumn season. Navaratri is a special festival dedicated for the worship of Goddess Durga. Navaratri is a Sanskrit word – “Nava” means nine and “Ratri” means night. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakthi are invoked at our homes and worshiped for peace and prosperity. Dusshera or VijayaDasami denotes the last day of the festivities. For the quick links - for Navaratri/Golu Recipes please click this link
Whether it is Golu Pandigai or Bommala Koluvu or Bombe Habbe, it is all
about the display of dolls of the Gods & Goddesses of Hindu Mythology and also
depicting stories of our past and present.
Traditionally the 9 days are divided into three sets of three days. The
first three days is dedicated for the worship of Goddess Durga, the next three
days for the worship of Goddess Lakshmi and the last three days for the worship
of Goddess Saraswathi.
Important dates of when to keep Golu for the year 2021
Navaratri Starts on Oct 7th 2021 ends on Oct 15 th 2021
Mahalaya Amavasya - Oct 6th 2021 - set up the golu steps and arrange the dolls in the evening
Navaratri Pooja begins - Oct 7th 2021 - Keeping the kalasam in the morning and start the pooja
Ayudha Pooja - Oct 14 th 2021
Saraswathi Pooja - Oct 15th 2021
Significance of Golu
Golu showcases various mythological stories and ancient scriptures like
Dasavathaaram, Ramayanam, Mahabaratham, about Alwars, 63 Nayanmars and many
more. During this time of the year these interesting, touching and valuable
stories are narrated to the kids. This in fact helps us to remember the roots,
customs and traditions that are passed on from one generation to the next.
Navarathri is an important occasion for socializing with friends, relatives
etc. This is a very important occasion show casing the creativity of women and
for the whole family to work together.
Things needed to keep golu
- Golu Padi/Steps and of
course golu dolls
- Veshti/Dhothi or saree
to cover the golu padi. Safety pins for tucking the veshti to the golu
padi
- Kuthu vilakku -2
- Serial lights and
decorative items(optional).
- Kalasa Sombu, coconut,
turmeric powder, fresh mango leaves, rice, cardamom, rose water.
- Navadhaniyam or
mustard/methi to make mulaipari [which I have described below]
Things to be done before
keeping the golu
- As we are inviting and
invoking the goddess in our house, clean the house thoroughly without any
cobwebs and clear out all the unwanted things from the house.
- Clean and decorate the
pooja room and wash all the pooja vessels before assembling the golu padi,
- Wash the kalasa
Sombu/Kalash and keep it ready.
- Choose the right place
to set up the golu padi usually facing East direction. Once the golu padi
is set and dolls are arranged, they cannot be moved till Vijayadasami.
- Get all the dolls ready,
wipe the dolls with a clean cloth.
- Get all the decorative
items for hanging in doors and windows ready.
- Get some artificial
flower hangings or a silk saree for decorating the background of the golu
padi.
- Mulaipari – refers to the navadhaniyam[nine different types of
grains] or mustard/methi grown in small mud pots. Mulaipari signifies the
prosperity and happiness in the family also shows respect to gods for
blessing a good harvest. These grains are sowed in small mud pots, 4 days
before the festival begins as they would sprout by then. After which they
are kept in front of the golu.
When to arrange the Golu
Dolls
The golu dolls are arranged on the golu steps in the evening of Mahalaya
Amavasaya.
When to keep the Kalasam ?
The kalasam for the golu is kept on the day following Mahalaya Amavasaya in
the morning. After the kalasam is kept, neivedhyam is offered and pooja is
done.
How to Keep Golu?
- Assembling the Golu Steps
The display of dolls/bommai is done on the Golu Padi/steps which are usually odd numbered - 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11. The golu steps can be either metal or wooden, which needs to be assembled or the steps can be made using tables or boxes.
- Covering the Golu steps
After assembling, cover the golu steps with either White Dhothi/Veshti or
with bright colored silk saree. Use safety pins or bell pins to pin the
veshti/dhothi for tucking the cloth with the stand.
- Arrange the dolls on the steps – I have explained below
- Keep the Kalasam – I have explained below
- Keep serial lights in the golu steps to make it look bright and
beautiful.
- Light two kuthu vilakku’s on both sides of the golu stand.
- Keep the mulaipari in front of the golu stand.
- Draw kolam [Maakolam] or stick any kolam stickers in front of the golu. If you are drawing
kolam then make sure you draw a new kolam every day.
Rules for Arranging Golu
Dolls
- Counting the steps from
the top, the first step is
dedicated to the supreme God and goddess like Vinayagar, Goddess Lakshmi,
Durga, Saraswathi, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Murugan.
- Usually the incarnation
sets like Dasavathaaram, Ashtalakshmi sets are arranged in the second and third steps of the padi.
How to keep Kalasam ?
There are two different ways to fill the kalasam, it totally depends on what tradition is followed in each household. Let us see both the ways of filling the kalasam pot.
The kalasam is placed in the first 3 steps.
First Method of filling the kalasam pot
A pot made up of copper, brass or silver forms the base and is kept on plate spread with raw rice.
The pot is then filled with fresh water, a pinch of turmeric, 3 cardamoms and little rose water or vettiver, 5 coins, Javvadhu powder [2 pinches]. Make sure the water level is such a way that it does not touch the bottom of the coconut.
Fresh Mango leaves are inserted in to the kalasam and then a coconut
smeared with turmeric is placed on top. Once the kalasam is kept in the golu
padi it should not be moved till the end of Vijayadasami.
Second Method of filling the kalasam pot
The Kalasam pot is filled with rice and dal [Thoor dal/thuvaram paruppu] up to the neck.
Keep one turmeric inside the rice.
Insert some coins into the rice.
Next insert fresh mango leaves into the rice, then a coconut smeared in turmeric is placed on top of the mango leaves.
Some traditions call in for tieing a face of amman on the coconut and placing a blouse piece [red or green] on top and tying a small amman pavadai to the kalasam.
After keeping the Kalasam, offer neivedhyam and start doing pooja.
- The Fourth step is for the enlightened
souls like Azhwars, Nayanmars, Shankarachariyar, Ragavendra, Saibaba,
Saints and Siddhars.
- The Fifth step is dedicated to those who contributed for the
society. It is for people like freedom fighters, great leaders,
philosophers, philantropists etc like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda
etc
- The Sixth and Seventh steps is for
normal human beings, temple scene, village scene, farming, wedding scene
etc. In honor of traders' community, every golu has a Chettiyar set which has Chettiyar and his wife selling sugar, salt, dals, rice, vegetables, fruits
and other commodities.
- The Eighth and Ninth steps are for the animals, birds,
crawling insects, fish, plants etc.
Note: These photos are the golu photos from my home clicked during different years.
For the Golu
Friends and relatives are invited to visit the golu. Women and girls sing
hymns and songs in front of the golu. Special neivedhyams like sundal and
sweets like payasam, sakkarai pongal etc are made and offered to the gods. After
the aarthi the neivedhyam is distributed to the guests as prasad along with some
gift bags. The gift bag usually consists of kum kum, manjal, betel leaf, banana
and a small gift. Each day, throughout Navaratri, two neivedhyams – one in the
morning [any sweet] and one in the evening [sundal] has to be offered during
the prayer. If you are not able to make neivedhyam at least fresh milk or
fruits have to offered.
On the 9th day Saraswathi Pooja is celebrated, books and musical
instruments are placed in the pooja and worshipped. Even tools are placed in
the pooja as a part of “Aayudha Pooja”, vehicles are washed and machines
cleaned and poojas performed for the wealth and prosperity of everyone.
When and How to Remove/Dismantle the
Golu ?
- On the evening of Vijayadasami – 10th day after navarathri , we offer neivedhyam like fruits and prayers are done. After which the kalasam is symbolically shifted towards the North direction. One doll is put lying down as if it is put to sleep.
- The golu dolls can then be removed the next day and packed carefully for the next year. Similarly the golu padi can also be dismantled and packed as well.
- Do not start removing the golu dolls on vijayadasami.
- Tuesdays and Fridays are considered inauspicious to remove the Golu dolls. If the day after Dasami falls on Friday or Tuesday then the golu is removed on the evening of Dasami itself.
- In that case make neivedhyam in the morning [on Dasami] and then put one doll to sleep till the evening. Then remove the golu dolls and dismantle the golu padi and pack everything safely for the next year.
Removing the Kalasam
The rice kept in the plate under the kalasam can be used for making
payasam, pongal etc. The coconut can be used for making a sweet.
The water inside the kalasam should be sprinkled on all family members and
around the house.
Pour the remaining kalasam water into the tulasi plant or in the garden for the trees. Do not pour the water in the skink or bathroom.
Sundal Varieties
White
Chickpea Sundal/Kondakadalai Sundal
Black
Chickpea Sundal/Karuppu Kondakadalai Sundal
WhiteChickpea Masala Sundal/Kondakadalai Masala Sundal
BlackEyed Bean Sundal/Kaaramani Sundal
MoongDal Sundal/Paasi Paruppu Sundal
ChanaDal Sundal/Kadalai Paruppu Sundal
GreenGram Sundal/Pachai Payaru Sundal
PeanutSundal/Verkadalai Sundal
Suggestions
If you are not able to keep golu for all the 9 days, you can keep the golu
for the last three days.
Each year a new doll is purchased and added to the golu collection.
Traditionally the kalasam is kept in the golu padi, but you can keep the
kalasam infront of the golu padi also. It will be easy to offer new flowers and
do the prayers for the kalasam.
I believe and hope that this blog post will be really useful for those who are
newly keeping golu. For neivedhyams like Sundal Varieties, Payasam Varieties,
Sweet Varieties for Navaratri/Golu Pandigai click here.
For the quick links - for Navaratri/Golu Recipes please click this link
Wishing you all a very Happy Navaratri…
Other golu photos in my house....
Birth of River Kaveri
Pongal Festival – a detailed write up with Recipes
Gokulashtami/Krishna Jayanthi Recipes
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find this post really interesting, it will really be nice if you can share it
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Have a
great day and enjoy.
Until
then I am signing off…
Hi, I was not able to keep 2021 Golu from beginning. Can I keep it on sapthami day, which is on a Tuesday please suggest?
ReplyDeleteHi Thyagu,
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for contacting me, yes of course you can keep golu on tuesday, you keep the padi and arrange dolls on monday evening and start the pooja from Tuesday morning.
Wish you and your family a very Happy Navaratri...
Pls keep visiting Priyasvirundhu for more delicious recipes and keep supporting us
Thanks and Regards
Priya Anandakumar