NAVARATHRI GOLU 2025 - AJAX - 795

                   NAVARATHRI 2025   --  AJAX 

We are at my Son and Daughter In Law’s place at Ajax in Canada this year for the Navarathri Festival . It is  a festival which has the Ladies garnering all the limelight during the Nine Day Festival with THE GOLU as the highlight .

The men in the house have to get down the Cartons from the attic with the neatly packed idols of last year stored there with utmost care . Cleaning and dusting the same takes some doing .

Getting the 5 or 7 Deck GOLU PADI is a big task in itself . Haarish , my son is good with his hands which includes the Carpentry work also . He has designed a FIVE DECK WOODEN GOLU PADI which can be assembled and dismantled in a very short time . 

Masterminding the placement of the Various idols in formations of ASHTALAKSHMI , RAMAYANAM , GAJENDRA MOKSHAM , DASA AVATHAARAMS , CHETTIAR KADAI WITH THEIR GROCERY ITEMS , PAST AND PRESENT LEADERS ASSEMBLED FOR THE NATIONAL FLAG HOISTING , CELESTIAL WEDDING OF SIVA - PARVATHY , RAMA - SITA - LAKSHMANAN , RADHA AND KRISHNA ON A MUSICAL SWING ; was Vandanaa ,  our DAUGHTER IN LAW .

They both had also recreated Models of THE SEA SHORE  TIRUCHENDUR MURUGAN TEMPLE and  SIVA BHAGAVAN  IN THE SNOW CLAD MOUNT KAILASH  . 

Both my Grand Kids Adhvay and Akshu were a great help in getting these things done in whatever little way they could .

Supervising the entire show was my Better Half with her inputs and suggestions.

Looking forward to Fun Filled Evenings with INVITEES and  A DIFFERENT VARIETY OF SUNDAL for each day of The Navarathri  ahead . 

       HAPPY 2025 NAVARATHRI WISHES TO ALL

This brings back memories of this Festival ,  Self and Mami had at our place at Agasthiarpatty last year .

             NAVARATHRI- GOLU - 2024 

For reasons which are beyond me , Golu and Navarathri are always considered a Festival of the Ladies as they hog all the limelight during the Nine Days of the Festival . 

 

All the Jewellery , both Originals and the Fake ones come out of their captivity from the Bank Lockers and are on display each evening for the Vettalai , Paakku , Pazham Function.  Kancheepuram Silk Sarees make their appearance , draped as they are on all the ladies of the house .  Both The Young  and the not so Young who thus far have been loathing the very name of a Saree venture out bravely into the delicate art of Draping the Saree around them and practice for that FUTURE  Momentous Day ahead . 

One stand out feature for the Males and especially the Youngsters in the House is the Sundal Prasadam in the Evening . Each day a different Variety of both the Sweet and Kaaram Varieties are the much looked after to   attraction. 

During College Days in Mumbai  wherein most of my Classmates were Gujarati and very well to do Guarantees at that , the chance to do a jig by shaking your hands and legs at the Ras Garba and Daandya  each NIGHT during the Navarathri Festival was a much looked after to event as this went way past Midnight each evening . The loud music and the Percussion Instruments  accompanying them  are sure to make even a very shy person break into a jig . 

Now to Shooldays , each Navarathri meant setting up a new Artefact each year at Kharagpur . My Mother used to be very good at conjuring up a new specialty each year . One that comes to mind is The Thiruvarur  Ther made out of Discarded Penicillin  Bottles . My job was to collect these bottles over a period of time from the Railway Hospital which was close to our Bungalow . The Finished Thiruvarur Ther came out as a masterpiece and was the  talk of the town for quite a while . 

Now to the Present , Mami has only me at 74 at Agasthiarpatty  for the Navarathri and Golu Festival . Navarathri assumes and acquires a whole new meaning  as many things have to be done and got ready for this special occasion. 

Golu Petti has to be brought down from the Attic . Clay Idols most of which are even older than me have to be cleaned to make them Presentable. Some are beyond repair and sadly need to be discarded . The next job on hand is to get the Golu Padi ready . Making use of the available furniture at home to create a 5 Step Golu Padi takes some doing . 

Picture and Video of our Golu 2024 are attached . RADHA and KRISHNA  swinging to the music played by the Band behind them is the highlight , please watch the Video again !!! 

HAPPY NAVARATHRI WISHES TO ALL .