Navrathri - my tradition

This post is by Kodi's Mom of Kodimeow Kronicles

Navrathri - always reminds me of....not the silk clad maamis, not vetthalai paaku, not sundal, not little girls parading the streets, not carnatic music...
....but my grandfather. Yes, Navrathri reminds me of my grandfather...my mother's father..my Aaja.

All the more this year, for we celebrated with only his memory, his spirit.

In what I consider the golden days of my childhood, when Aaja was a retired, "active adult", I would be quite amused to see how he always took Navrathri very seriously. It didn't bother him much that this was socially labeled as a 'ladies festival'. For him it was a way to showcase his energy, passion, creativity.

Left to my grandma, she might have kept a quick 3 padi kolu (a kolu with 3 steps), made a sundal, and focussed on the puja, the invites and invitees.

Left to my aunt, the daughter in law of the house, she might have done an even simplified version of the above, for that's all she had time for, with twin boys, a full time job and a long commute.

But with my grandfather, Kolu took a different glow in our house.

A week before navrathri started, he would start the prepartions. Preparations meant walking down to the garden (they lived on the top floor of a two storey), digging up soil, walking back up with that load, cleaning that area along the back wall of the hall to make room for a 9 padi kolu and a miniature park, spreading the soil in the far corner, sprinkling it with water, making even rows with the eraser end of a pencil, lining it with mustard seeds in a perfect row, then watering that spot and...waiting. You see, he was trying to create a lawn effect. A pulveLi.
Amidst the lush green would be a snapshot of some busy Chennai junction - Parry's Corner or GN Chetty Road were his favorites. There would be a fountain in the middle. Perfectly straight two lane roads, marked by white chalk or rangoli powder. Billboards along the corner. Large matchboxes painted as Kumaran Stores and Nalli. Plenty of cars.

I don't recall ever seeing the an idyllic green or the luxury of a fountain in parched, hot-beyond-words Madras of those days - but it was all there in the kolu in Aaja's house. A futuristic Chennai...with more cars than two wheelers.

Once the basic elements of the park was in place, he'd proceed to set up the nine steps for the kolu, drape with a dhoti, dust the dolls, set them up in perfect order, giving due importance to the Gods and Goddesses. A whole afternoon's work would be reflected in the kaLai of the kolu. (the look of grace, elegance)

The kolu would look its best on day 3 or 4. When the mustard seeds would have sprouted and grown evenly to a 1-2 inch height. When all the dolls had been adjusted twice or thrice for the right effect. That's when the Maamis would start to arrive and ooh and aah at the whole spectacle. My grandfather would receede to the background only to show his face to family friends, and would graciously refuse any compliments that were directed his way. Oh, I didn't do much, it was all her (he'd point to me, while all I might have done was bring him the chalk). But there was a twinkle in his eyes those times, a suppressed smile, it was happiness like that of a child...happiness that his effort had brought joy to the beholder, that the details he put in were noticed and appreciated.

This tradition repeated itself not just a stray year or two, but every single year till he could no longer keep up with the physical demands. One of the last few years, the local newspaper gave his kolu a prize for the best in town.

I have missed my grandfather all year. I think of him often, but I missed him most during Navrathri.

Because of the foundation he laid, to me, Navrathri is not just another festival, not just another one of those gazillion traditions every desi family has. The tradition that he passed down to me, consciously or unconsciously, was the enthusiasm and spirit. How you take something from your parent's generation, add your own flavor to it and carry it forward, while keeping the intent of the tradition intact.

The intent of this one is to welcome the Goddesses of wealth, education, courage to your home. To socialize with friends and family. To give. How you implemented it was upto you.

This was our implementation this year...



No Dasavatharm set, or Ashtalakshmis, no wedding setup, - but a Japanese doll, a Thai tea set, a Parisian Notre Dame, a Floridan Mickey Mouse, a Santa Claus - these are the flavors we added to it.

One of the challenges while setting this up was - my very naughty 2 year old's presence! We kept him away from it only during setup and dismantling...the rest of the time, we tried to include him in the festivities. For him, that meant playing with the dolls. So he was told that he could take off only one thing at a time but he had to be very careful. He listened some of the time, but overall, the 9 days passed without serious mishaps.

Next year, we intend to dedicate a spot that will be solely his - where he can set up a zoo or farm or whatever he wants.

Last Navrathri, Aaja saw pictures of our modest kolu and was pleased to see America-vil kolu (a kolu in America). What amused him more was that there were maamis here too who came for vethalai paakku. I wish he could have seen this year's too. And all the ones that the future holds for us.

Maybe he will.

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...