All About The Festival Golu – By Jaanu

For me the festival season begins in October. After October comes Diwali, the festival of lights – then Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and New Years’ Day! But the festival that starts off this chain of celebrations is Navarathri, or Golu (GOH-LU) as it is called in Tamil Nadu, India. If you’ve ever wondered what Golu is, here is a chance to learn more.

Every October, we celebrate Golu – which is a harvest festival with deeper meaning. Golu is also called Navarathri because it is a nine-night celebration. “Nava” means “nine” and “rathri” means “nights.”

Golu is a celebration of the victory of Good over Evil – a resounding message of the ages.

As ancient lore has it, the goddess Durga slayed the demon Mahishasura. The nine nights of Golu Navarathri are split into three sections of three days. Each portion recognizes one goddess – the first three days for Durga, the goddess of power; the second three days for Lakshmi, the goddess of spiritual and material wealth; and the final three days for Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge. Navarathri is a special festival for empowering women.

In the north Indian state of Gujarat, Navarathri is celebrated with a traditional dance called a garbha. In Tamil Nadu and some southern states, a Golu is set up. Clay dolls representing Gods, saints, people, and animals are set up on wooden stairs. In the south, the harvest is complete by Navarathri time. The farmers and laborers turn to artisanry and craftsmanship and make dolls out of the clay earth they tilled in the long summer. The dolls are beautiful – it’s amazing to see the bright arrays of jewel-toned clay bommais, or dolls.

Golu is a magnificent part of our tradition, and it’s a marvelous sight to see – here, take a look!

Golu is very much a multi-faceted celebration with a lot of cultural significance. While it isn’t a new year, it is an auspicious time for new beginnings – new artistic pursuits, for instance! Religious rituals are conducted, and pujas, or prayer services, are led as well. Families pray at home with the Golu setup and at the temple as well. Beloved all over India, and celebrated in a myriad of different ways, Golu and Navarathri remain iconic!