Can you tell me your experiences and memories of Golu Festival

As kids, we used to really enjoy going to everyone else's house in the colony to see their Golus and invite them to our house. Waiting for the puja to be over so we can get the gifts and prasadam was also something we used to look forward to every year.

It is believed that, in olden days, the Golus were one way of consuming the clay that came out of digging up the canals for irrigation of agricultural fields. Clay is considered sacred.

It is an occasion / custom to pray to Goddess Durga during Navaratri for various blessings.

I know it is different across states but in our case we get a pair (couple) from our parents at the time of wedding and then build upon it as we start putting Golu in our own house.

 

Golu is celebrated in south India as a victory over evil. It was the killing of an asura and the war went on for 9 days. Goddess Durga fought the battle with the asura. It is basically a festival for children and women. In some households small girls are invited and given gifts and served lunch. Most days women are invited and given gifts with the thamboolam.

The evenings pooja is done by making sundal for prasadam. Each day will be different sundal. I have very fond memories of Golu during my childhood days. We used to keep the golu in my house. Not only we invite people to our house but also go to many houses to see the golu.

 

You are :welcome and of course you can use other types of dolls as well. I have seen dolls made with cloth even. We used to put metal dolls even and recent years I have seen paper machie dolls so many times. Concept of having Golus is more important than which type and even more important is the puja of Goddess Durga that happens during those 9 days.

 

I like the way you are curious to know about our customs and traditions. We have a rich culture full of customs and traditions and we should be proud about it.

Golu is a part of navratri festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. Over the nine nights, nine forms of Durga are worshipped.

The goddess Durga needed extraordinary power. To help her all other gods and goddesses gave all of their power to Goddess Durga. Without power they all stood still as toys. Out of respect for this act of self-sacrifice people exhibit toys shaped as gods and goddesses.

Golu is put only in South India.