Navarathri Bommai Golu

[post written by Sheela]

Garuda Sevai.
Arasamaram Pillayar.
Pancha Bootham.
Aaru Padai Veedu.
Saptha Rishi.
Ashta Lakshmi.
Dasavatharam.

These enchanting terms describing the sets of clay dolls my mom collected evoke a strong nostalgia...

Every time I sat down to write this post, I visualized a naive little girl through the gossamer veil of memory, wistfully donning the antique white pattu pavadai with royal purple zari border and a matching puff-sleeved blouse,
...hair braided and accentuated with a kunjalam at the end,
...with adukku malli flowers coiling all around it,
...bangles jingling when carefully forming the Bharathanatyam mudras with small hands while reciting 'pathaka tripathaka ardhapathaka, kartharimukaha', and 'aangikam, bhuvanam, yashya vaachikam'
...frozen at the end of the single-digit age where I can remain a child forever.

Family Traditions brings a lot of images as every festival was a reason to establish a tradition at home. And my mom was good at establishing traditions.

The one that particularly stands out in my mind is the Navarathri Bommai Golu.

A couple of weeks before the start of Navarathri, my mom goes to the wholesale stores across town to get little mirrors, combs, kumkuma chimizhs (tiny little containers for holding the crimson powder kumkumam/sindhoor), little baskets to hold the thambulam... I tag along if I am up for it. It is a tedious multi bus hop across town in the hot sun... but, highly rewarding.

And then, about a week before the start of the Navarathri, Appa brings down the bommai pottigal, yes, plural, as my mom had quite the collection - about four large wooden boxes which held the carefully padded, wrapped, packed dolls of various shapes and sizes and make. And, every year, at least a couple of new dolls are added to the collection.

Then, he sets up the 7-step golu padi: a Godrej steel gray set of shelves and adjustable stands which spends most of the year sleeping in the attic, unassembled, yet magically fulfills its destiny by hosting the gorgeous display of dolls for couple of weeks a year.

Ever since I could follow instructions, it was my duty to broom and mop the area where the golu will be displayed. Once my mom knows it is clean, she draws an elaborate maa kolam - traditional design on the floor made with diluted rice paste.

Then Appa assembles the golu padi. At which point, depending on who is at hand and up for it, we cover the steps with either simple white veshti, or Amma's old sarees, pinning up as needed to make sure the cloth drapes the steps elegantly.

If that wasn't fun enough, now is when the real festivities start: arranging the dolls and, possibly setting up more scenes on the floor around the bommai padi.

Amma is particular about the order. The tallest and biggest clay dolls go on the topmost step. Gods and goddess dolls at the top, and mythological symbols and other generic ones (like a pair of swans, elephants and such) at the bottom. If something isn't aesthetically appealing, she rearranges till things seem in harmony again.

Once that is done, more fun starts: mixing sand with color powder, we design a city on the floor all around the golu padi. A little school here, an arasamaram pillayar koil (temple) there. A little circus tent with animals here. A bus depot there. A railway station here. A playground there. Rickshaws and bicycles abound our streets. Little plastic and clay children and adults of all sizes and shapes populate our town.

Finally, I get to do a rangoli design on the floor with my cousins, in the available space, without limiting the motion in the area. And nobody better turn on the fan!

But then, the actual Navarathri has not even started yet!

On the first day of Navarathri, Amma establishes the Kalasam (a bronze/silver pot with water or rice, decorated with mango leaves that are held in place by a whole coconut), and pronounces the golu officially open. And she sets off with a kumkuma chimizh full of crimson kumkumam to invite the neighbors and friends.

Every day of the 10-day, 9-nights festival, people exchange visits, spread goodwill and cheer, sing traditional songs, share chundal and other prasadam...

On the 8th night Amma always sets up the books and instruments for the Saraswathi Pooja: my school textbooks, my favorite books, notebooks, pens and pencils, and, of course, my chalangai and veenai.

These are not to be touched or disturbed all of 9th day (and night) observed as Saraswathi Pooja.

However, on the 10th and last day of navarathri, Vijaya Dasami, we get to sit by the arrangement and write, read, play the veena or dance a little, anything at all that we want to excel in, we practice on Vijaya Dasami...

Of course, that was then.

For the last 15 years, I have not participated in Navarathri celebrations here in the U.S. Over the years, if my mom's visit coincides around the Navarathri time, she sets up a simple 3-step arrangement with whatever curios and pictures she gave me of the traditional mythological beings.

However, along the lines of Navarathri, since Ana was born, we have been celebrating Christmas with a tree decked to the gills, ornaments galore, and adding a new ornament each year (discounting the many that break each year thanks to the kitties living with us)...

But, this year, Navarathri just got over, and since my parents were not visiting us, I decided to establish a simple tradition of my own. No elaborate bommai golu, but, just a 2-step arrangement of dolls I have. Plus, a chundal or payasam of some kind every evening.

I was never the fancy dresser since my teens. But, I made an effort to cleanse myself and drape a silk saree each evening after coming home from work, which in turn inspired my 2-year Ana old to ask to be dressed up as well... then, made some chundal or payasam and offered the nivedhyam...

Somehow, it is not the same without friends and neighbors stopping by, and unless it is a weekend, I am strapped for energy and time to celebrate the way I'd like...No matter.

I am not sure I am up for the 7-step bommai golu anymore... but, if Ana is up for it as she grows up, I hope I have the strength to pass on this beautiful Navarathri Bommai Golu tradition my mom has set up for our family...

NAVARATHRI - THE FESTIVAL OF BLISS

It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I was in a sleepy mood and Aryan was also sleeping. Suddenly, the intercom rang. I shook my head and ran to pick the phone fast, as Aryan would wake at any time. I picked the receiver. On the other side was Meena Mami, one of our neighbors. She had called me to say "Subha, please come home today evening at 06:30 for "vethalai paaku" ["vethalai paaku" is something that is given to all married woman and to kanya ponnu (girls who have not attained puberty) during the time of Navrathri. It consists mainly of betel leafs, arecanut, kunkuma cheppu, turmeric, coconut, and banana, and in some houses they give a small mirror, a small comb, and blouse pieces or some other gifts. I said, "Yes mami, I will come in the evening at 6:30."

As I hanged the phone, my mind started traveling in a time machine and reached to our childhood days of Navrathri. Gone are those days when small girls in colorful pattu pavadai’s with kunkuma cheppu comes to our house and invites "Amma ungala vethalai pakku vangikka vara chonna” (Mom is inviting you to come home for vethalai pakku).

Navrathri, the name itself spreads bliss and happiness in our homes. We are two sisters and my mom was very particular that we learn all the customs and traditions, and Navrathri is the one, which we enjoy the most.

Two days before Navrathri begins, my father takes all the golu bommai’s (God’s idols) from the Paran (Attic kind of storage place) and then unpack the stuff. We used to have uncountable amount of Bommais with us. Typically my father would pack the Bommai with three layers of packing; one with old tattered cloth, then with paper and then a plastic cover, and tie it with a rope, all efforts to prevent cockroaches. Every Navrathri, unpacking this bommai itself takes one day. At this point, I would like to make a special mention of my elder sister, who was (still she is) crazy about these stuffs. The most memorable thing in this unpacking is the bet that my sister and me make. While unpacking, we should guess without opening the package as to what idol is there inside by touching the outer surface it. There used to be a competition between me and my sister, as to who will unpack the maximum bommai’s and guess it correctly. Of course, my crazy sister used to win and that was a real enjoyment. After unpacking all the idols, the setting of "golu padi" begins. My father struggles with the wooden shelves and planks and somehow sets the "padi" and covers it with a new cloth. Then all the idols will be kept in order on the padi.

Apart from arranging the idols we used to create Park. My father used to bring the sawdust and clay. We arrange the roads inside the park; keep a traffic police in the midst of the park. Arrange small vehicle toys, small human being toys. The best part is we used to make snow mountain in the Park with cotton; Wow!!!! it was really a fun affair. I used to bite my sister if she crosses my park border…

Me and my sister used to come home rushing from school just to sit in front of the golu Bommai.
We used to enjoy the hot, hot kadala chundal (black or white channa), kunkuma cheppu, kannadi (mirror), comb, flowers, dress, bangles and what not? All these items we used to get along with vethalai paaku because we were kanya ponnu. Even though, now as a sumangali/ suhasini (married women) we get all these things, the fun and excitement at small age was the best. I wish we went back to those days again!!!!!

I finished my travel in the time machine and came to the present world. Suddenly, some realization came to my mind. Apart from the spirit of a festival, there are many hidden good things about Navrathri. It gave importance to woman more, thereby inculcating the thought in the minds of younger generation that a woman is a backbone of the family and she should be given due respect. Also, it is a festival, which contributes to the creativity of a person. Apart from that, most importantly it emphasizes the importance of treating all persons equally irrespective of whether she is rich or poor, is from a forward or backward caste, etc. Knowingly or unknowingly, this festival boosts the confidence of a woman, her skills, creativity, and what not. Hats off to my Mom and my grandma for following these rituals and letting us know about the traditions

During this Navrathri, I did not even bother to think about gollu and bommai. Caught in webs of office work or commitments, baby, or all silly excuses. Of course, my biggest worry was how would I handle Aryan with all these bommai's.

But, I think in this world of mechanical life, we as parents should take special efforts to pass on these traditions to our younger generation and I vowed myself that next year, I will definitely keep the golu bommai and celebrate Navrathri in its true way and make Aryan understand it's values.

Oh..Aryan is crying, may be he understood my feelings and is angry that I did not keep the bommai this year.