Krish @ Sobha Palladian

Golu is the festive display of dolls and figurines in South India during the autumn festive season, particularly around the multiday Navaratri (Dussehra, Dasara) festival of Hinduism. – Wikipedia.

Also called Bombe Hubba.

This year Golu started on 10^th Oct, the start of Navaratri (9 day festival) and will extend until Thursday 18 Oct, on Saraswati Puja Day.

The Golu bommais (dolls) come out of hibernation – from the deep dark corners of showcases, from carboard cartons stacked in lofts, from the rugged (green or black) steel trunks and from that special wooden potti (box) that has been handed down thru generations.

This box is a large, rich brown teak wooden chest reinforced with shiny brass strips and decorated with silver lotus flowers and studs. It has an ornate handle on both the sides and a huge latch in front secured by a Godrej Navtal!

The steel (green or black) trunk probably came along with the other dowry items during great grandmom’s wedding.

It was also a standard luggage for travel in the 1960s/70s.

To give you folks a good perspective – today when our teenagers go out to college for higher studies they are allowed 2 check-in luggage, one cabin hand baggage and an optional laptop bag.

When at 16, I went out to college, I went by train, and I had one black steel trunk and one holdall, and one basket filled with food! The trunk had my name stenciled along with my roll number and my college name!

And that also reminds me – in the north a huge steel (now replaced with shining Aluminum) trunk is given as a parting gift to the newly wed couple. It contains a pair of rajais (quilt) and pillows. Many times, this is accompanied by a Godrej bureau, a Singer silai machine and an Atlas cycle!

Things have changed a lot since then.

Nowadays the newlywed couple prefer to get just 2 sets of keys from their parents. And nothing more!

One key set to a fully furnished flat in Sobha Palladian and the second set of keys for an Audi Q7 SUV.

What else do you need to start a simple and modest journey of life together??

Back to Golu, our main theme.

Dolls in Golu: Most of the figures showcased on the golu steps have a family history, age old tradition, historic and religious relevance. Some date back to 50 and 75 years and more. And they are repaired and repainted many times. The authentic golu bommais (dolls) are made of mud/clay and brightly painted. Paper mache is fast replacing them now. Some beautiful and exotic China and Jade figures have also found their ways on modern golu steps. Thankfully plastics have not yet invaded traditional golus yet.

Most golus will have the foll.

A Marapachhi Set : A set consisting of Husband, Wife, Son and Daughter. The figures are carved out of raw wood - pretty rough work by local craftsmen and with no great finish or polish. However, with age and frequent handling they become smooth and shiny. This set is the first one to go up on stage.

And the wife generally will have a small piece of cloth wrapped around her waist! In some cases, the husband will sport a bright satin turban too.

Static standalone figures: These are the Big and medium sized figures of Gods & Goddess. So we have Vishnu, Shiva, Bramha( sometimes), Lakshmi (mandatory ), Saraswati, Krisha, Ganesha gracing every Golu display.
In my younger days our golu also had a beautiful porcelain white and orange Shirdi Saibaba, a large sandalwood carved Buddha in meditation pose under a bodh tree and a pure white stone sculpted Christ, the redeemer statue!

Doll Sets: The fat smiling Chettiar with tiny cups of grains and grocery all around him. The inevitable set of Dasavataram and Rama/Lakshman/Sita/Hanuman tableau.

Action Toys!! You cannot miss Mahishasuramardhini in action, Krishna’s childhood scenes, Veda Vyasa dictating Mahabharata to Ganesha. Modern Golus have wedding barat (Oorgolum), Cricket, farms and dance groups as well.

Dynamic toys: Remember Chennapatna dancing girls?? And rocking horseman?? Nowadays people have battery powered toys and serial lights as well to jazz up their golus.

And the twin 40-inch brass lamps along with smaller silver lamp sets.

And you can see most of these in the two wonderfully decorated and elaborately constructed Golus at KK’s and Venkat’s drawing rooms!

So, I invited myself into their houses and it was a real treat to see their impressive display.

The sweets and sundals were a bonus!

This 7 stepped golu @ Venkat’s is augmented by additional arrangements on both sides.

Big traditional dolls and classical themes.

At KK’s, it was a very elaborate 9 step Golu. And action all around the steps.

The traditional dolls are shiny, newly painted and looked as good as new.

Also, there were lots of creative displays and a cricket match too.

The eye-catching Vishnu in reclining posture.

This one is classic! Reminds me of Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum. Vishnu in Anantha- sayanam posture.

This depiction is probably of Ranganatha Swamy in Srirangam (Trichy)

Vishnu reclining on Adishesha (Shehanag) with Lakshmi.

A bright colourful representation in north Indian style.

The imposing array of gods!

A wonderful depiction of Sri Krishna’s childhood:

Vasudev carrying infant Krishna in a basket across the swelling river Jamuna and Vasuki (the serpent) protecting them from the heavy rain.

Krishna dancing on Kaliya’s head.

And a wonderful depiction of naughty Krishna stealing gopika’s clothes while they were bathing!

Checkout the gopikas in the jacuzzi!!

Govardhana

Giridhari !

Reminds me so much of Dehra Dun and Delhi in my younger days.

Janmashtami celebrations were a week-long affair then.

Every temple is freshly painted, and tableaus were put up everywhere depicting such scenes. The temple also had a well decorated baby cradle with a small Krishna in it.

While bhajans kept blaring thru the large conical Ahuja loudspeakers, devotees entering the temple will first gently rock the cradle before proceeding for pujas.

Every mohalla (community) erected their own tableaus with the figures animated with motors backstage. Small ponds, flowing water and a shower to simulate rains were common.
And so were scenes of Krishna killing Kamsa, drinking milk from Pootna, stealing maakhan, dragging the heavy griding stone allover and the famous scene where he opens his small mouth and shows the entire world to Yashoda maata!!

Coning back to KK’s..

We have the entire Tirupati right here in his drawing room!

And the imposing Jagannath Puri Temple as well.

Vishnu’s Avatar Rama with Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman - as expected !

And we need to showcase Shiva’s family too.

So here we see Parvathi holding Ganesha and Shiva holding young Karthik.

Question: Was Shiva really that affectionate??

The Dashavatharam Set on both Golus.

A Chettiar and his wife.

Notice that giant-sized jackfruit!!

A ‘solo’ Ganesh Orchestra.

Garuda Vahana .

Check out the serious game of cricket being played out on a green turf!!

Goddesss Andal (Lord Venkateshwara’s consort)

Saraswati (Brahma’s consort)

Lakshmi (Vishnu’s Consort)

And having seen so many Golus over the last so many years, I still miss some really quaint and very popular figures that were so common in my younger days. Some of you may also remember these.