The South Indian Way of Observing Navaratri

The South Indian Way of Observing Navaratri

The main event during Navrathri in South India is the display of dolls and idols – Golu and the placing of Kalasam, which represents Goddess.

Navaratri puja might seem a huge complicated event for many. You can always perform a simple puja by worshipping the Goddess on nine days by lighting a lamp and offering a fruit as prasadam.

Rituals are important but the devotion is certainly more important.

Here is a step by step method on how to perform Navaratri Puja.

Getting Ready 

· Get the house cleaned and ready. You are inviting Goddess into the home. Usually this is done on the Amavasai day, a day before the beginning of Navaratri.
· Mango leaf festoons are installed on doors, windows and in puja room. Fresh Kolams are drawn.
· If you are keeping Golu, get all the Golu dolls ready.
· Decide upon the Bommai Golu Theme.
· Plan early about the pooja prasadam (neivedya) and also about the gifts that you plan to give to women guests.


Requirements for Navaratri Puja 

· If you are keeping Kolu dolls, purchase new dolls at least a couple of new ones. The most important doll needed is the Marapachi dolls (Male and Female pair of dolls).
· A pot for Kalasha or Kumbha (brass pot)
· Face of Goddess to be stuck on Kalasha. It is fine if you do  not opt for this. · Sweets
· Ingredients of the Prasadam to be prepared (this depends on what neivediya you are preparing)
· Betel leaves
· Betel nuts
· Bananas
· Coconut
· Usual fruits
· Usual pooja items like lamp, incense, agarbathis etc.
· Lotus flower for Goddess Saraswathi and Goddess Lakshmi. Jasmine for Durga. Avoid wild flowers. 

A day before Navaratri Puja 

Navaratri Puja begins on the Puratasi Amavasai day, a day before Navaratri begins. All arrangements are done on this day.

· In the evening, Kalasha or Purna Kumbha is prepared. This is an invitation to Goddess to enter your home.
· Purna Kumba or Kalash is kept on a kolam in such a place that there is space behind to keep the Bommai Kolu. You can attach a face of Goddess to the Purna Kumbha and decorate the Kumbha with jewelry, turmeric, sandal paste, flowers etc.
· Those who do not keep Kolu, keep the Kalash in the Pooja room.
· Betel leaves, Betel nuts, a coconut is placed in front of the Kalasha. Cooked rice or boiled and sweetened milk is kept as prasadam or neivedya in front of the Kalasha.
· This Kalasha is to be kept for next nine days – it symbolizes Goddess.
· A lamp is lit every evening and morning for nine days.
· Normal puja is performed.


Arranging the Golu 

The golu stand is assembled on the Puratasi Amavasai day, the day before the Navaratri festival commences. There is an ethics in constructing steps or Padi for Golu. The Golu consist nine steps or Padi in Tamil. These steps or Padi should not exceed nine. If you wish to keep less than nine steps it should be in odd numbers like 3, 5, and 7.

The philosophy behind the nine steps or Padis for Golu is said as: To worship Devi Durga goddesses, there are nine ways of worship. They are swarnam, kirthanam, smaranam, paadasevanam, archanam, vandhanam, dasyam, sakyam, atmasevadhanam. This concept is represented in nine steps or Padis. The nine steps or Padis in Golu represent nine planets or Navagrahas.

From the bottom to top, the length of the steps should reduce. For instance, from the bottom, if you keep five feet length for the first step or Padi, then the second step or Padi length should be short than the first one and the third step or Padi length should be shorter than the second one and so on and so forth.

The stair is usually covered with a cloth and dolls are placed neatly and as per the theme.

Arrangement of dolls in Golu Padi  

· Dolls of animals, birds and insects should be kept in last row, the base.
· Dolls of farmers, householders, vendors, etc should be in the next step.
· Dolls of saints, and mahans should be kept next
· Dolls of incarnations such as Dasavathara, Krishna, Rama should be kept next.
· Dolls of Ambal, Shivan, Vishnu, Lakshmi should be kept on the uppermost step.

Some themes for consideration  

· Majority of the Bommai Golu displayed in homes opt for the traditional method of display.
· The most important dolls in the kolu arrangement are the Raja-rani or the marapaachi bommais. These are expensive dolls and a set of them is found in all traditional households. Another important idol is that of Goddess Saraswati.
· Park, cricket ground are created with the help of sprouted mustard seeds etc on sand.
· Forest, trees, ponds, paddy field etc can also be created easily at home.
· For paddy field, take a flat basin fill it with some mud and sow wheat. Wheat grows quickly. While placing the tray in Golu hide the tray cleverly, so that only the green part is seen.
· Ponds too can be created in similar fashion.
· Trees can be done on cardboards and thermocole.
· If you are interested in vegetable carving, depending upon your theme you can make carvings using melon, carrot and other such vegetables.
· Decorations and lightings are done to beautify the golu.  

(Article from Navaratri Special Edition Ebook)