Display of dolls marks Tamil Navratri

A dazzling arrangement of dolls in odd-numbered tiers may not be a common sight in Ahmedabad but that’s the way devout south Indians, particularly Tamils, celebrate Navratri. The over 500-year-old tradition is known as Golu which is associated with the recital of the sacred hymn.

The dolls, which are passed down the generations by mother to daughter or mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, are kept in order on steps which are covered with a white cloth. 

Though the overall arrangement depends on a person’s or family’s creativity, every step has its own significance. The first three steps are normally adorned with deities Lakshmi, Saraswati, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Krishna and others. \

The centre point of the arrangement is a kalasam - a brass or silver pot of water topped with a coconut and mango leaves.

The tiers four to six are usually for saints like Sai Baba and other national leaders. The seventh tier can be made colourful by setting up dolls that represent human activities.

It is also a tradition to keep a plate of rice, pulses and other commodities as a tradition of respect to agriculture on the eighth tier. 

The final tier is usually made up of dolls of humans and animals. It is a traditional practice to have the wooden dolls of Marapaachi, a traditional couple, symbolic of fertility. People do aarthi daily and the festival ends with one doll from the display symbolically put to sleep and the kalasam turned to face north. 

KM Narayan, a resident of Satellite, who has been celebrating Golu for over two decades, says that they celebrate Navratri this way. “The first three days are for Durga, the next three for Mahalaxmi and the last three for goddess Saraswati. We keep children’s books too in the puja. The kids get up the next day and read those books.”

Some believe that Golu is celebrated as Goddess Durga took nine different avatars to demolish demon Mahishasura and the nine layers signify her victory in the battle.