Originally posted by: LizzieBennet
Just some additional Navratri trivia on how it's celebrated in the South of India...
This display of dolls is called 'Golu', but has different names in different parts of South India. The display represents the 'ladder of evolution'. It's also a celebration of the goddesses with the rest of the display representing their 'royal court' or 'assembly'. Usually the display comprises an odd number of steps, from 1 to 11. The topmost steps are reserved for the highly evolved forms and the bottommost for the least evolved. So it goes like this: Gods, demigods, saints, humans, animals.
The collection of dolls usually tell stories from our myths and epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam, Dashaavataram and so on. The dolls are usually made of mud or clay. It is customary to add one new doll every year. It is also common to have a pair of wooden dolls called Maraipachi bommai in traditional dress that represent man and woman symbolizing prosperity and fertility. People get quite creative with their Golus - they can have a theme where they display the 'story' behind the theme. There is usually a new theme every year.
The three goddesses are worshipped all through Navratri with the first 3 days for Parvati (Durga), the next three days for Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and the last three for Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning). On the ninth day, the day of Saraswati Puja, people worship their tools and implements that are responsible for their livelihood, in addition to books. These days it's laptops and computers, but it's also common to place kitchen tools like spoons, knives and ladles.
Saraswati Puja day means a day's break from studies, where all your books are placed on the altar and worshipped. Then, the next day - the day of Vijayadashami, you bring the books and implements back to study/use them.
The Golu is worshipped twice a day, wherein prasadam is offered and Aartis and bhajans sung. Usually a traditional dish called 'Sundal' is offered which is different types of lentils garnished with coconut.
Women (usually married women and kanyas) are invited over and given small gifts and the auspicious haldi-kumkum. It's not a must to have the Golu in every home, but it's a tradition to carry it forward across the generations, and it's recommended that if you begin it, you must continue it every year at Navratri.
So interesting!
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