Golu @ Mohana's

 Golu @ Mohana’s !!

 

Every year, during Navaratri, I eagerly look forward to getting invited to view Golu at Mohana’s residence.

And while the elaborate display of dolls and idols is the main attraction, I have one more incentive – hot freshly brewed filter coffee and ‘prasadam’ !!

 

Here is one family that puts up Golu every year without a break, more elaborate than the previous year and, with very interesting themes.

While last year’s golu had multiple themes, this year’s display was focussed on one of South India’s famous 14 century saint poet and philosopher Sri Vedanta Desikhar.

I am impressed and fascinated at the sheer amount of details that the family goes thru and so painstakingly creates the various themes.

Many exhibits as intricately handcrafted in order to weave a wonderful story. I can imagine the huge amount of time, patience and effort, teamwork & research that must go into making such an elaborate Golu display every year.

 Last year I was fortunate to view another similarly  impressive Golu display focussed on  India’s Space mission – starting from Dr. Vikram Sarabha’s vision thru the various space ventures from Aryabhatta to Chandrayan and Mangalyaan and future. This was at Krishna Kumar’s residence. And KK’s wife Nirmala is a space scientist at ISRO !

 Golu:  A traditional Golu is made up of odd number of steps- 1,  3 or 5 or 7 and so on. The top steps are occupied by the main Gods and Goddess, their Avartaars  and other deities.  And the traditional   idols would be made of mud , painted with bright & brilliant colors.  And there would be the mandatory ‘Marapachhis’ – two wood carved figurines of a man and a woman (and a child  as well in some cases) .

The rest of the shelves are left to imagination and creativity. And in most cases, they include social themes, depict regular life, marriages and other events.

And most Golus also display the many toys and artifacts that the family collects each time they travel to a new place  and/or when the family goes on a pilgrimage and picks up a few memorabilia displayed in the various shops in and around the temples.

 And in my good old days there used to be a few bommais that were a permanent  feature in every golu. Nowadays one does not get to see them anymore .

Remember the Air India Maharaja bowing his majestic head /  the brightly painted peacock and elephant studded with small diamond-shaped mirrors /  the ‘thala atti bommai’ ( dancing pair) / the fat, round bottomed chettiiar and his wife who could not be toppled over / the wooden chimpanzee hanging precariously – fingers on one hand gripping the edge of a golu step while clutching a banana in his other hand  /  the pallanguzhi and schozhi set etc ? 

I am sure a few of these can still be found buried in the bottom of a few old golu pottis stored in the attic  of our ancestoral homes !!

 

And coming back to the present topic…

Golu at Mohana’s is a class apart!

The display, covering half of their drawing room has 3 sections.

A five step, a three step and a single step arrangement.

The main five step section displays all the regular traditional idols and other ‘bommais’ that you would see in almost all golus –

The first two steps adorned with Lord Venkateshwara, his consort Alamelumanga (also known as ‘thayaar’ or holy mother) and the ten avataars of Vishnu, the Dasavatharams.

Dashavataram :  The ten primary incarnations of the Lord Vishnu

Matsya – The fish who saved the Vedas.  / Kurma – The tortoise who supported Mount Mandara during the churning of the ocean. / Varaha – The boar who rescued the Earth. / Narasimha – The half-man, half-lion who destroyed the demon Hiranyakashipu. / Vamana – The dwarf who subdued King Bali./ Parashurama – The warrior with an axe who removed corrupt kings. / Rama – The prince of Ayodhya who defeated Ravana. / Krishna – The divine statesman and cowherd / Balaram – The elder brother of Sri Krishna and an incarnate of Adi-Sesha the serpent king. /Kalki – The future warrior expected at the end of the Kali Yuga.

 
Nava-Narasimhar

At Ahobilam (Nallamala Hills, Andhra Pradesh),  Lord Narasimha is believed to have appeared to protect Prahlada.  

Thw ninee forms of Narasimhan avatar as depicted in the golu…

 Ahobila Narasimha (Ugra Narasimha) – The main self-manifested (Svayambhu) fierce form. / Jwala Narasimha – The blazing, multi-armed form on the hill (Achalachaya Meru) where Hiranyakashipu was slain. /  Malola Narasimha – A graceful (soumya) form seated with Goddess Lakshmi. / Krodakara (Varaha) Narasimha – A form featuring the face of a boar (Varaha) with Lakshmi. / Karanja Narasimha – Shrinem situated under a Karanja tree.  Yogananda Narasimha – The peaceful posture taught to Prahlada after the battle. / Chatravata Narasimha – The deity installed under a peepal/banyan tree.  / Pavana Narasimha – Located on the banks of the Pavana River. / Bhargava Narasimha – Situated near Bhargava Theertham, Parashurama performed penance

Ashta Lakshmi:    Ashta Lakshmi refers to the eight sacred manifestations of the Goddess Lakshmi. The golu displays ..

Adi Lakshmi (Primal Lakshmi): The primordial, original form of the goddess who grants spiritual wealth and liberation (moksha). / Dhana Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth): The bestower of material riches, money, and financial stability. / Dhanya Lakshmi (Goddess of Grain): The provider of agricultural wealth, food crops, and nourishment. / Gaja Lakshmi (Goddess of Power): The royal form—depicted with two elephants showering water—who grants strength, sovereign power, and animal wealth. / Santana Lakshmi (Goddess of Progeny): The protector and blesser of family lineage, children, and descendants. / Dhairya Lakshmi / Veera Lakshmi (Goddess of Courage): The bestower of valor, inner strength, and the ability to face life's challenges./ Vijaya Lakshmi (Goddess of Victory): The symbol of triumph, perseverance, and success in all endeavors. / Vidya Lakshmi (Goddess of Knowledge): The source of education, arts, sciences, and spiritual wisdom !!

 

The 12 Alwaars :  Apostles of Lord Vshnu:  The 12 Alvar Saints

Poigai Alvar / Bhutattalwar (Bhoothath Alvar) /Peyalwar (Pei Alvar) / Thirumazhisai Alvar / Nammalvar (regarded as the foremost) / Madhurakavi Alvar / Kulasekhara Alvar / Periyalvar / Andal (the only female Alvar) / Thondaradippodi Alvar / Thiruppanalwar (Thiruppaan Alvar) / Thirumangai Alvar.

 The naalayira diva prabandam (fourthousand heavenly compositions) is a compilation of all their devotional hymns. They were complied by the 9^th century theologian, Nadamuni.

 

And an assortment of gods, Tulsidas chanting hanuman chalisa and Meer Bai singing praised on Krishna,  and a happy family praying together.

 

The second section consisting of 5 steps traces the life and works of  Sri Vedanta Desika.

Swami Vedanta Desika is believed to be the divine incarnation (avatar) of the sacred hand-bell used in the worship of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.

As per legend an unfortunate childless couple, Anantasuri and Totaramba, went on a pilgrimage to Tirumala. Lord Srinivasa (Venkateswara) and Padmavati appeared in their dreams as a Sri Vaishnava youth and handed over a small golden bell, which Totaramba swallowed.

The next morning, the temple priests found the small hand-bell missing from the sanctum sanctorum. Through an avesa (spiritual trance), the Lord revealed that He had gifted the bell to Totaramba so it could be born as a great scholar and acharya.

In accordance with this legend, the small hand-bell is no longer used inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple during Naivedyam or Tiruvaradhana. Only the large suspended bell in the front hall is rung for such pujas.

 Born in 1268 CE in Thoopul (Kanchipuram) as Venkatanatha (Vedanta Desika), he grew up to be a preeminent Sri Vaishnava philosopher, poet, and polymath (a person who is an expert on many subjects and disciplines).

Living to the remarkable age of 101, he was a prolific writer, composer, poet and  philosopher. His works covered a wide span of subjects and focussed on reinforcing Ramanujacharya framework of Advait philosophy  (non-dualism).

 Vedanta Desika systematized, defended, and expanded it through monumental literary and philosophical works in Sanskrit, Tamil, Prakrit, and Manipravalam (a stylized blend of Tamil and Sanskrit.

 Some of his well known works include ..

Paduka-sahasram (The Thousand Verses on the Lord’s Sandals)

One of Desika's most renowned literary feats involved his fierce scholarly debates with rival schools of thought in Srirangam (near Tiruchirapalli).

A rival scholar who wished to  demonstrate his  depth of Sanskrit devotional poetry, challenged Desika to compose one thousand verses in a single night.

Desika reluctantly accepted the challenge but soon forgot about is while performing his daily duties and prayers to the Lord.  He woke up at 2 AM.  in the night, suddenly remembering the challenge.  He sat before the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Ranganatha , holding the Lord’s sandals in his hands and began composing the Paduka-Sahasram (The Thousand Verses on the Lord's Sandals). Working with astonishing speed, he completed all 1,008 intricate, melodious verses before dawn broke. When the rival scholar arrived in the morning, he was left stunned and humbled, acknowledging Desika's divine poetic genius.

 

Yadabhyudayam: An epic poem detailing the life and divine plays of Lord Krishna, written at the request of the royal court of Vijayanagara.

This magnum pus consists of more than 2500 verses and is based on the contents of the Bhagavat Purana. The epic traces the complete life and divine sports (leelas) of Lord Krishna. Starting with his birth in Mathura, / upbringing and childhood pastimes in Gokul /  Defeating various demons, lifting Mount Govardhana, and vividly narrating  the early exploits of Krishna. His marriage to Rukmini and other queens, life, governance, and events in Dvaraka. And up to the later events surrounding the Kurukshetra War and the Geetopadesham and establishing the righteous rule of the Pandavas.

 

 Raghuveera Gadhyam.  Also known as Mahavira vaibhavam  - The Glory of the great hero (Lord Rama)

He sequentially summarised the entire epic of Valmiki;s Ramayana moving chronologically thru all the seven kandas of the Ramacharitramanas -  from Bal kanda / Ayodhya / Aranya / Kishkinda / Sundara / Yuddha and to Uttara kanda. He highlighted key events, battles, breaking of Lord Shiva’s bow, alliance with the vanaras in Kishkinda, bridge building , slaying Ravana, and the restoration of righteous rule.

 

Sri Garuda Dandakam: A sacred Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Garuda, the divine mount of Lord Vishnu.

Legend has it that a snake-charmer challenged Vedanta Desika's powers and launched a dozen venomous snakes towards him. Desika chanted the Garuda Mantra and recited these hymns, causing Garuda to appear and scare away  all the snakes.

The composition of hymn praises Garuda's supreme speed, radiance, strength, his role as Lord Vishnu's carrier, his form adorned with serpents, and his embodiment of the five vital airs (Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana & Vyana).

 

The Godha Stuthi   This is a famous 29 verse snaskrit hymn sung in praise of  Goddess Godha (Sri Andal),  when Desika visited Sri Villiputtur and beheld the divine form of Godha Lakshmi and Lord  Rangaatha.

Check out this wonderful recitation …   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVdQ-VPiSbY

 

Dayāśatakam is a celebrated 108-verse Sanskrit devotional hymns dedicated to Dayā (divine mercy or compassion) as the supreme attribute of Lord Srinivasa (Venkateshwara) at Tirupati. Instead of praising the Lord's general traits, this poem exclusively glorifies His singular quality of Dayā.

Dayā is personified as a divine female entity—Dayādevi—elevated as a consort of the Lord (analogous to and sometimes portrayed as an alter ego of Mahalakshmi)

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The third section depicts Lord Ranganatha in Anantha sayanam pose reclining on the huge serpent Adiseshan.

 And the last piece of the ensemble is Garuda Seva procession. Lord Malayappan Swamy,  Uttsavar or the processional form  of Lord Venkateswara is seated on the golden Garuda Vahanam. And he procession moves around the four sacred streets surrounding the hill shrine at Tirumala.

 And at the end of Navaratri, after Saraswati puja , these idols will be rested on their sides for the night and the next day carefully wrapped and pack into the golu potti !!

 

Krish//