Today is a special day, not just because it is the first day of Navaratri, and also my sister's birthday! What an auspicious day to write my 300th post! I have been writing this blog for almost 3 years now (it will be 3 years old in a month), and over this time, I have not just found an outlet to my creativity, but have discovered so much more about myself. Since I started writing, I have found an interest in birdwatching, an activity I wasn't the least interested in, before.... I have written book reviews, travelled so much, and even got a few articles as well as stories published. Seeing my name in print was a dream which has come true, all through this wonderful medium. But most importantly, I have made new friends, most of whom I haven't yet met, but with whom I connect so well that its almost like I know them so well! I have made more friends in these last 3 years than I have made in the last 30!! Thank you so much, each one of you! I look forward to your comments, your opinions, your blog posts..... A day spent without this interaction is really unimaginable now!
Anyway, getting along to the first day of Navaratri, we spent all of yesterday setting up the Golu, and we are finally done in time for me to post pictures..
For those of you who have no idea of a Golu, here is some information for you..... Bommai Kolu or Golu is a series of steps we make during the nine days of the festival of Navaratri. This festival is dedicated to the Mother Goddess in all her forms - the first three days are dedicated to Parvati, the goddess of strength, the next three to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and the last three to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. The tenth and final day is dedicated to the triumph of good over evil, commemorating the goddess's win over the evil demons - and the steps are filled with dolls representing the creations of the goddess, from animals, humans, Demi gods and Gods.The dolls representing humans and animals are kept at the lower levels, while the Gods are placed at higher levels, indicating that one should always aspire to achieve the highest levels and salvation.
So, here is what my Golu looks like this year...
Here is an overall view....
and here are the steps....
A closer look at the steps...the top two first.. with all the deities.... and the traditional wooden dolls called 'marapachis'
The next two steps... with a Pongal (Sankranti) scene, house, etc... and lots of wooden vehicles...
And finally, the special section this year..... Shivaji Maharaj and his fort.....
This one is extra - for Samhith.. A mountain road.... These are the stones the two of us have been collecting...there are stones from all the places we have visited..... they were neatly segregated and kept in boxes, but now, all are mixed up! Lots of work to do when we dismantle this!
And here is the decorative section.... the tunnel and mountain.....
The other side of the tunnel.. for the train to come out from...
A park.... courtesy Navneet Publications, which made our work easier...
A closer look at the park...
A Merry go round - also thanks to Navneet.... They have some really good paper models.. try them out..
And finally, a tree - lined avenue!
So, what did you think of our Golu this year?
P.S. Some of you have asked me to take a video of the train running through the tunnel, so here it is, a bit late...
