First Navarathri Bommai Golu - 2017

Last year I had the blessing to be introduced into the tradition of Golu by a dear lady, who has over two decades of experience keeping Golu. 

From childhood, I have loved the tradition of Golu and marvelled at the beautiful steps of idols and golu dolls laid out at the houses in Agraharams of Thiruvananthapuram. I often wished that I could do the same, but it was only last year that finally the privilege became mine. 

I have always loved idols of God, and from childhood, used to collect Krishna idols, mostly from shops near Guruvayur temple which is my mother’s home town. Later on, many Ganeshas (including a gorgeous Panchaloha NarthanaGanapati or dancing Ganesha, and Panchamukha Vinayaka, and various clay and PoP idols bought during Ganesh Chathurthi), a beautiful big Madurai Meenakshi idol (an impulse purchase at one of my first ever visits to Coimbatore Poompuhar), Karthikeyan idols, and many more, all were purchased by me, way before the thought of a Golu ever occurred to me. 

These formed the larger part of my first Golu in 2017. Just before the start of Navarathri, at the last possible minute, I also got some essentials like Marapatchi Bommai, Dashavatharam set, Rama set, Ashtalakshmi set, Aru Padai Veedu set, Annapoorani, big idols of Lakshmi Saraswati and Durga; and some gorgeous idols including Annamalaiyar- Unnamulaiamman , Shiva kudumbam, gopuram, etc., of my choice. 

The Navarathri of 2017 was one of the happiest festivals for me, with the beautiful golu capturing my heart and soul. I truly loved the experience and couldn’t wait for more. My nine-step Bommai golu of 2017 (picture added) is the basis for this blog and my further golu idols collection.