Sunday, 29 September 2013

Dushera is being celebrated all over India in different ways. For example Gujaratis play Garba during the nine day festival and some of them observe fast as well. South Indians celebrate Navratri in an unique way by placing beautifully decorated dolls at home. The celebration start after Amavasya day (ie) on Friday and Kolu will commence from 9-10-10. Most of the families buy at least one new doll every year to add to their collection of dolls.Dolls are available in Matunga, Dombvilli, Nerul and Chembur areas. In Navi Mumbai we get the dolls in Giri Trading Company, SIES complex Nerul just like the main outlet of Giri Trading at Matunga (just opposited to flower bazar). On each day different sweet items and salted delicacies called SUNDAL is prepared and offered to the God with a simple PUJA. Different incarnations of the Goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Parvathy and Kali are worshipped on these days. Ladies chant religious Mantras like Vishnu Sahasranamam and Lalitha Sahasranamam in the praise of God. We can see unity in diversity during the festival days. Kolu dolls are passed from one generation to another. People from Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu celebrate Kolu in an elaborate manner. Ladies sing carnatic devotional songs in front of Deity to apiece all Gods. Kolu Padi is available in slotted angles and this time colourful plastic steps to arrange the dolls in a systematic way. Make shift Parks, cricket field, Railway Line, Bridges,Tunnels are built by children to make the train pass through various stages in a circular way. Colourful lighting arrangements are made to give the steps a beautiful look. Betel leaves, betel nuts and cocanut are offered to God alongwith the Prasadams. Prasadam alongwith a blouse piece or Kukum container is offered to the ladies to commemorate the occasion. Girl children wear Pattu Pavadai with Choli and ladies wear Pattu sari daily on all the 9 days. The ladies invite each other to come to their homes to collect Betal leaves and Betal nuts (called Vethalai - Pakku). Saraswati Puja is also celebrated as an integral part of the festivities. School books and Note Books are kept in front of the Deity applying Chandan and Kukum for one full night and on the next morning that is on Vijaya Dasami day children take out the books and read for length time to get the blessings of God and wealth of education throughout the year. On the Vijaya Dasami day evening one doll from the Kolu Padi (steps) is made to lie down and sleep overnight. The next day the steps are dismantled and the dolls are preserved for the next year in boxes.

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