INTRO

Navarathri Kolu-2023

We have set up our traditional Golu based on Navapadi Tatvam and this year our Theme is “Skanda Puranam”. We are Keeping Theme Golu based on Our Puranams, Culture and Tradtions for the past fifteen years. Some of Our Themes are Mupperum Deviar (Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi), Vinayaka Chaturthi Mahima, Nayanmars Charitram, Indian village traditions focussing on our Native Village, - Melmangalam in Theni District, Shanmatham, Visualising Mylapore and Kapaleeswarar Temple few Centuries back, Divine Marriages, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Bhagavan Bhaktha Bagavatham. We humbly submit that our theme Golus have won various awards in the contests hosted by many prominent Institutions.

Traditional Golu
Our ancestors have framed Navapadi Tatvam during Navaratri to show gratitude to the five elements, due to which living beings exist in earth. A clay doll which is placed on the Nine steps is made using clay (Earth) mixing with water (water) heated with fire (Agni) and dried (wind) under the Sky (Akasha). Thus all the five elements are used for making a clay doll. based on Prapancha and Navapadi Tatvam we have started in step one with clay dolls in Golu ranging from Unicellular organisms, Multi Cellular organisms, humans, Saints till Gods in the ninth step. With Guru’s Grace we attain divine sacred knowledge.
This year’s Theme Golu – Skanda Puranam
We have kept Skanda Puranam based on the Great Kachiyappa Sivacharyar book written in Tamil which contains 10345 verses. The beauty of this is Lord Muruga at Kumara Kottam Temple in Kancheepuram Himself pronounced the first verse Starting with the word Tikada Chakram verse on vinayakar to commence the writing of Skanda Puranam to the Kachiyappar. After writing verses every night Shri Kachiyappa Sivacharyar will submit the verses at the Lotus feet of Lord Muruga and in the morning the Lord would have made corrections and thus Muruga became the first Editior and the interesting aspect he corrected the verses of the Puranam written on himself. To depict this story we have made life size model of the Murugan shrine. There are Six Kandams they are 1) Urpathi Kandam 2)Asura Kandam 3)Mahendra Kandam 4)Uddha Kandam 5) Deva Kandam and 6) Daksha Kandam.
We have kept the following important scenes from the above Kandams.

1. Lord Murugas Shrine in Kumara kottam
2. Kachyappar inaugurating Kanda puranam
3. Kanchipuram
4. Naimisaranyam
5. Shiva Parvathi Conversation
6. Goddess Parvathi Birth
7. Lord Muruga Birth
8. Skanda in Sarvanapoihai
9. Muruga in Skanda Giri
10. Muruga’s Leela in Mount Meru
11. Lord Muruga blessesd with Vel by Shiva Parvathy.
12. Muruga Kills Krouncha and Tarakasura
13. Visit to Shiva Temples enroute to South India
14. Kaveri is born
15. Muruga blessed with divine weapons
16. Mahakalla protects Indrani and cuts Ajamukhi hand
17. Ajamukhi in Surbadhman court
18. Muruga holds divine court in Tiruchendhur
19. Story of birth of Surapadman and his brothers
20. Markandeya story is told
21. Veerbahu as messenger to surpadman court
22. War erupts simhamukhan, banukopan die
23. Surapadman as Mango tree
24. Muruga absorbs Surapadman as Peacock and Cock
25. Muruga is victorius, marries Deivayanai
26. Muruga play with Valli devi and Their marriage.

Uniqueness of Our Golu.
Puranic scenes are translated in to 3D Models using paper, card board etc. This year we have hand crafted Mount Kailash, Skanda Giri, Mount Meru, river Ganges, Himalayan lotus pond, Naimisaranyam forest, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchendur Palace etc.
Card boards and carton boxes from packaging are reused.
Every day Naivedyam is prepared and Aarthi is taken.
Skanda Puranam depicted in the theme kolu is narrated to all the visitors with devotion and it takes normally 30 to 40 minutes for each session.

R Rohini Srinivasan
B 15 Shree Apartments
19 Srinivasa Avenue Road
R A Puram
Chennai 28
94880 56814
63805 71171