INTRO

Our theme for this year's Navratri is Fusion Golu
It is a fusion of Kolkata Durga pooja and our traditional Golu. According to Bengali tradition, during Navratri Maa Durga comes to her mother's house, which is The Earth. During her visit, she also kills Mahishasura. It is believed that Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganapati and Karthik are Maa Durga's children and they all come to the Earth with her. A picture of Shiva is always there on the top signifying that he is ever-watchful over his family no matter where they are. In our Golu, we have paid great attention to detail and have studied their culture carefully to understand the nuances of what they do in Durga pooja.
In our Durga Pooja theme, Durga Maa, Lakshmi and Saraswati are made using 'Vellakku' and wrapping a saree and tying a face. Their crown and jewellery are handmade by us using laces and cardboard. Ganapati is made by keeping an inverted 'Kudam' to make his stomach look big. The 'Vahanas' for Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganapati and Karthik are handmade on cardboard and painted. Saraswati's Veenai is made by us using paper mesh. For Maa Durga, we have kept two rods on the back to which her eight hands are tied. We have also handmade and painted all of Durga Maa's weapons including the Trishul. Mahishasura and the lion are printed and stuck on the mountboard. Maa Durga has one of her legs on Mahishasura and she is in the form of 'Mahishasura Mardini'. Surrounding this Durga pooja we have our Golu 'bommai'. On the left, we have all the devas. Mahavishnu Lakshmi, Lakshmi-Hayagrivar, Lakshmi-Narasimhar and Vitthal Rukumai followed by Dashavatar. On the right, we have all the Devis, Gayatri Devi, Aandal, Kamakshi, Meenakshi, Balambika and Annapoorni followed by Ashta Lakshmi. Then we have Ramar Pattabhishekam on one side and Meenakshi Thirukalyanam on the other side. In the front we have the 'Kalasam' and Marapachi and surrounding them are south Indian folk dance and music players like Karagattam, poi-kaal kudarai and pe-pe dum-dum. Below that we finally have our Chettiyar and Chettichi selling various grains and fruits and vegetables.
This is our Golu this year and we hope you like the photos and videos posted below.