Basics for Navarathri - Help needed for a First Timer :)

Discussion in 'Festivals, Functions & Rituals' started by AkilaMani, Sep 27, 2013.

  1. AkilaMani

    AkilaMani Local Champion Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Hi everyone :)

    I have always loved visiting neighbours keeping golu, but in our families we don't keep golu (parents, in-laws, relatives). I would love to start keeping golu but have been somehow hesitant over the years. My mom and MIL have not been particularly encouraging whenever I have brought up the topic. This time I want to really find out in detail about keeping golu.

    My Questions are:

    1. Are there any pre-requesits for keeping golu?

    2. What should I know & do before planning for keeping golu?

    3. Is it a must to have steps for golu?

    4. Should there always be a theme? or can it be just a collection of gods statues & dolls?

    5. Is it possible for working women to keep golu?

    6. Is it a must that someone should sing.... everywhere I go usually they ask someone to sing and mostly someone does, but what if I can't? I know it sounds silly... but these things make me nervous and hesitant even to take the first step.

    7. Anything else that I should know?

    Dear friends, please help me out. Thanks :)
     
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  2. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    AM, i don't have golu in our house though we do pooja. from what i observe in my neighbours,and others home i will try to answer. first you need to get a permission from your mil. once you start a tradition you have to keep it going, you cannot stop it unless there is a mourning period. you have to have alternate arrangement for somebody to do neivedyam when you have your p.

    My Questions are:

    nothing other than permission, interest and dolls.

    cleaning the house, collecting dolls.

    yes. even it if it just 3 steps. made out of a palakai on top of a table..or a stool, a smaller stool and your floor makes 3.

    not necessary to have a theme. earlier the themes were based on ramayana, mahbharatha. today we have diversified. once you start, you start planning for your next navaratri golu picking ideas from this year itself.i know people who plan and buy dolls just after navarathri for the next year..because it comes cheaper.

    definitely. i know many who do. a little time management and planning which you already have.

    no. not necessary. earlier it was a tradition in the community and the tight knit one. they called only those who belonged to that and invariably most of them used to sing. now many don't learn. but you can definitely ask a kid who is learning music to sing at your place. just reading a sloka in front of your golu is more than enough. you can always play a song on your player..

    the neivedyam and thambulam.

    i don't know what more to reply..:hide:
     
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  3. deraj

    deraj Platinum IL'ite

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    Excellet Shannthi. You have answered everything.

    Akila - As Shanthi said, pl. get permission from your MIL. If she permits, go ahead & rock.

    Ensure that daily you make some neivedhyam & distribute to people who are coming to see your golu with Thamboolam. If possible, during any one of the day, call some sumangali ladies and give them thamboolam with blouse bit, comb, mirror, manjal & kumkum.

    In our home, we used to call sumangalis (my FIL's sisters, my mom etc), make kalyana sappadu kind of food, give them saree and thamboolam. Since my kids are kanya ponnugal, we used to get them dress also. This is done because inviting Goddess in the form of ladies & kids and worshipping them.

    Hope this info is also helpful.
     
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  4. bhucat

    bhucat Platinum IL'ite

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    few more points i want to add along with shanvy mam's -

    1. we should not lock our house for all these days (i know it is not possible for nuclear family and working people) so let us not lock atleast in the evenings.

    2. All these days at the night ie after we give thamboolam to all the ladies and before our dinner, we need to do arathi - made out of water mixed with turmeric and kumkum with a small deepam.


    3. Once dolls is kept (avaahanam) it is assumed to be the God and Goddess hence we should not touch or change the positions of the dolls after.
     
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  5. bhucat

    bhucat Platinum IL'ite

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    As deraj said, my mil was also had the practice of calling a sumangali lady and a kanya ponnu to receive thamboolam with saree and dress materials on the Saraswathi pooja day and give them a pondugal kind of meals.

    Again this is up to their family's practices....
     
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  6. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    everyyear you add 2 new dolls to the collection.

    and if you are planning to read ashtotram. ambal is worshipped as durga the first three days, lakshmi the next 3 and saraswathi the last 3 days.

    yes bhucat, i forgot the locking. and atleast one sumangali for thamboolam every day.

    I have the habit of giving thamboolam immediately after pooja in the morning. and if somebody drops in the evening i give them too.

    i give thamboolam for kids it is mostly kids special..this year i have made crochet drawstring pouches which will have color pencils,bangles, bindis and things..

    and sil's usually get sarees, regularly..so if they do come down for navarathri they get special thamboolam so does co-sis.

    thamboolams need not be elaborate or grand, depends on your interest, your finances and also your need to impress (this is a new trend i see, if a neighbour x gives something y wants to give you something that would be costlier or grandeur than that..)

    P.S. by kanya ponnu the girl who has not started her p. now this is just for clarification akila..some may confuse that it is a person who is not married. actually there is a tradition in some families calling 9 small girls in the 3-7 years feed them and give them thamboolam. i have once taken my daughter to one such families home.
     
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  7. deraj

    deraj Platinum IL'ite

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    Thats so nice of you Bhucat. Getting to know tradition in families and include in our tradition if possible. Thanks for your inputs.
     
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  8. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Shanvy, Bhucatand Deepa have explained everything. Also you have to make a sweet in the morning for Neivedyam and a chundal in the evening to give to the ladies and children. That is what I do. All the best and post your Golu for us to take darshan of Devi
     
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  9. AkilaMani

    AkilaMani Local Champion Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Shanvy, Deraj, Bhucat, and Viji amma,

    Thank you all for the detailed replies. You have clarified my doubts very well and given me great guidence. I will seek my MIL permission today.

    Thanks shanvy for the link in the PM and for clarifying "kanya ponnu" because I thought that it meant girls ready for marriage.

    Dear Deraj and Bhucat, your info has been of immense help. I am already thinking of all the sumangali and kanya ponnu I can invite :) I did not know about the arthi after all guests have left. Thanks for the input :)

    Thanks viji amma, for your blessings. I will update my MILs decision soon and if she permits I will come back will a lot more questions ;-) because I know you all are here to guide me thru this wonderful festival :-D
     
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  10. deraj

    deraj Platinum IL'ite

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    Good luck Akila. Waiting for your MIL's okay, fingers crossed!!! Let us know immediately about your MIL's views too.
     
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