Interesting Golu Themes This Navratri

By Ajanta Sen

Monday, September 16, 2019, 14:48

Navratri is a nine-day Hindu festival celebrating Maa Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The meaning of Navratri in Hindi is 'nine nights', when the nine different forms of Goddess Durga are revered. The 10th day is also known as Vijayadashami or Dussehra, and celebrated with great fervour. Generally, in the first three days of Navratri, Goddess Durga is worshipped, and the next three days are for Goddess Lakshmi; while Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on the last three days.

In south India during Navratri, devotees make the 'Golu' arrangement at home. The meaning of Golu (or Kolu) is 'display'. and here it is a display of dolls. South Indians embellish their homes with beautiful displays of dolls and idols, which symbolise the major deities.

People believe that the Goddess resides in their abodes during all the nine days and they offer her sweets and sundal dishes as naivedyam or prasad. There is a plethora of themes or ideas for the Navratri Golu. For example, the zoo theme, the park theme, the pond theme, and so on. If you cannot keep the Golu set-up for all the nine days, you may keep it only for the last three days of Navratri.

Following are the top Golu ideas for Navratri. Take a look:

Golden Golu Theme

This is the most happening theme, which can be used for this Navratri. In this theme, different types of groupings are placed together, such as - the Ashta Lakshmis, Dashavataram, Utsava Venkateshwara and Ramayana, etc. This theme glitters like gold and looks very attractive.

University In Diversity (Or A Religious Golu Theme)

In this theme, the Golu or the display of dolls begin from the doorway with protecting our trees as well as Bharat Maata. This Golu theme also depicts the women of different states in India.

The National Flower, National Animal and National Bird are also displayed in this Golu theme. Once you enter, what you can see further is - the Garuda Vahanam, Tirupati Perumal Thaayar, Srinivasa Perumal Kalyaanam as well as the normal village life.

As you proceed, you can witness the Griha Lakshmi, as well as the main Golu with diverse religions and the transformation of women.

Social Golu Theme

This theme consists of a social message to everyone, regardless of their cultural background. It generally comprises of 3 padis to right, 3 to left and 1 at the bottom.

The topmost padi from left comprises of Ambal, Guruvayurappan, Lakshmi, Krishna, Radha, Goddess Durga, Devi Saraswati, Vitthal and Rukmai.

Radha and the cows are shown enjoying the sweet melody of Lord Krishna's flute. The 2nd padi from left consists of Kartik and Devjani, Krishna and Vasudev, Valli, baby Krishna in crib (or Jhoola), Vishnu in Garuda, Padmawati and Balaji.

The 3rd padi has a majority of characters of Ramayana - Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Shankaracharya, Hanumaan, Shiva and Parvati, Titwala Ganpati and several other Goddesses.

The padi at the bottom comprises of fruits, Chettiyar, Marapachi and veggies. A social message like "Beti Bachao (Save Girl Child)" can be written at the center on a big ply along with several pictures and captions around the main message.

Solar System Golu Theme (Along With Navagraha Temples)

This theme consists of the telescopic views of the 9 planets. In addition, a navagraha kolam and one temple cutout are also displayed.

Each planet (or graha) is bounded with respective stones (or navratna karkal). Nine wrestler dolls are also placed on each planet to represent them and their colour.

The following is the representation of each planet with its colour:

Mars - displayed with huge volcanos, red coral stones and Vaidheshwaran Temple

Sun - red colour, hot ball and Suryanar Temple

Venus - diamond, high mountains, red colour, hot planet and Kanjanur Temple

Mercury - green colour, grey craters, emerald and Thiruvenkaru Temple

Earth - A planet full of life, astronomers like Bhaskara, Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Galileo and his invention - telescope

Moon - pearl, white colour, Thingaloor Temple and satellite

Jupiter - yellow colour, yellow sapphire, yellow-green swirls and Alangudi Temple

Pluto - planet with frozen gas

Saturn - brown, yellow and white colour, blue sapphire stone, coloured rings

Neptune - sea blue colour

Uranus - greenish blue

Meenakshi Kalyanam Theme

In this Golu theme, you can make a model which should resemble Meenakshi Temple. You can use card board and packing materials to craft it. There are 11 parts of this story. However, you can display two parts of the main Golu, 2 scenes and the temple.

Sripuram Golden Temple Theme

This theme consists of the replica of the Golden Temple, Sripuram which is located in Vellore. You can make the star-shaped (also called the Sri Chakra) pathway in the middle and encircle it with lots of greenery.

Place devotees (dolls) singing all along the Sri Chakra. Use recycled stuff to decorate the entire temple. In order to highlight the Sri Chakra, you can illuminate it with LED lights.

Besides this, the main Golu is comprised of 7 steps. In addition, you can also make two big-sized deities - Mahishasura Mardini and Devi Durga using thermocol.

Kanyakumari Theme

This theme depicts the story of Kanyakumari. You can use blue colour cellophane paper to make the ocean. Use sand to make the seashore.

The story must be illustrated with dolls on the sea shore. You can use plastic dolls and decorate them with colorful dresses, according to the characters of the legend.

On another side, you can also show the Raasleela of Lord Krishna with her Gopis who are sailing in a lake in a plastic boat.