Golu galata

Navaratri is the most anticipated time during our school days, mostly because of long holidays. Of course we do get longer holidays during Christmas, Pongal and summer, but Navaratri is not just about holidays. The anticipation factor rests on the unexpected invitations along with gifts we receive during thaamboolam collection. Dussara as it is called is a 10 day festival of celebration equally dividing first nine days and devoting it to Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The tenth day is celebrated as vijayadasami. It is considered the auspicious day to start anything new. This day is considered to be the day when Godess Durga killed the Asura named Mahishasura. In South India, it is called “Golu”. The idols of lords are kept in sequence of steps neatly arranged and decorated.
Call it what so ever, it is mostly related to Godess , it is the women who enjoy the limelight all ten days.Women get decked up every night, to visit neighborhood golus collecting thaamboolam and gifts , in return inviting them to visit their Golu. Women perform nine days of Pooja , fasting all days and attending guests. Men on the other hand are bestowed with the responsibility of fitting Golu steps, getting doll down from attic and engaging the guests by talking to them when the women counterpart  have engagements to attend in the kitchen.
Selecting the correct house to visit is a big deal. Sometimes visiting a house with paatis and thaathaas will fetch you a good singing opportunity.  On Fridays , puttu ( sweet) was done at home. I never liked the texture or the taste of puttu. But I was asked to have them by force.
Maalu visits Golu often. Once I was busy eating puttu ( sweet) waiting for my turn in cricket match, I was asked to accompany maalu along for no fault of mine. It once happened that we visited a neighborhood Golu. The majestic arrangement of dolls were wonderful with lights and decorations adding to its grand structure. They requested Maalu to sing, while the ball was thrown to her, she gently dogged it by passing it onto me, “  I lost touch. But Bala will sing” she said. I now realise the intention of taking me along to the Golu, luring me with the sundal. Well hoping that sundal will be worth it, I gave it a try. I sang the recent bhajan my music teacher taught me. While I was busy trying to sing, Amala maami was ready with our thaamboolam. Eagerly waiting for post presentation ceremony I quickly completed my bhajan in just one charanam. After my unexpected musical testimony, Amala maami never rushed to give us our sundal, rather she was very keen to know about the song, my music teacher, how much I pay her, if I had enough time to balance music and academics, who was the composer of the song  and what not? Everything. The topic got diverted from my music classes to conserts Katcheri,from Katcheri to margazhi season, from December season to sarees , from sarees to satellite. There were more discussion and question from other topics which I don't mention as I eventually lost interest in listening.Amala maami and Maalu was busy interrogating the colour shade of ms blue , while it was time for me to start my second inning of the cricket match which I left mid way to accompany maalu. I stood up restlessly and slowly moved towards the door. It was then recognised by ladies to be alive. “ I am leaving maami” I told. While she asked me to wait for 2 minutes, she handed thaamboolam, and a neck piece to Maalu. She turned over to me and said “ dei baala, I didn't  get anything for u, here u go “. She handed 2 pencils and a cup of puttu to me. My god it is puttu again.
While returning back , “Baala, did you notice that aandaal in their Golu?” Maalu asked.” Yes of course it was big paper mesh doll,I had seen it somewhere too” I replied. “ How could you have seen it somewhere? You are never interested in golu dolls and moreover this is just the second time you are accompanying me” She said. Yes it was true, but I have seen the face cut of that doll somewhere. Maalu spoke  suddenly disrupting my thoughts of recollection. “ Dosent it resemble our Satyananda perima?” She said. Yaya! It did. It just had the face cut exactly like Satyananda perima.
The next day while I was at my home, suddenly a battalion of army dashed inside.It was Kitcha and his friends. Kitcha was my youngest cousin brother 5 years old. Every kids along with kitcha was exploring all the corners of our house . They took all the dolls , paired Krishna doll with sita doll, Cinderella doll with Hanuman doll, and Lakshmi doll with he-man doll. Everything was rearranged. While  all of us tried to control their enthusiasm, I softly asked kitcha why he got his friends here? “ Why not? If Maalu akka and paati alone can invite their friends , why can't I?” He replied. “Well asked kitcha ! Well done !Even I have the same doubt” I muttered.By this time every kid was engaging themselves eating sundal. Paati like asking others asked them to sing too. Without hesitation they said yaa they would. The next minute there was a chorus of rhymes one after the other. While one starred “ row  row row a boat” the other was in the mid of “ Jhonny Jhonny yes papa”. We at last we gave them pencils. My pencils were also given to them to tally the count." What soundal is for tomorrow?, We can come back and sing many rhymes. We are free tomorrow , we shall come daily" everyone said. What!!! No . We can't rearrange the dolls daily.

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