My Musings

We celebrate Kolu every year and this year(2011) was no exception. We started the preparations on 28th Sep when the slotted-angles and sheets were taken down from the attic and steps (படி) were erected. The dolls were also taken from the attic, dusted, and generally cleaned. This is the first KOLU in our new, own house at Kalakshetra Avenue.   With this step over, Krithika decorated the place and arranged the dolls. Arvind took care of serial lights. Thus the Kolu started this year. Guests started coming from the next day. Aditi was ecstatic and excited. 3 Oct 2011 Today we hired a driver and we two, Krithika, Aditi went to Ambattur first. We took the Chennai bypass road to reach their house. Then to Lalita-Kumar's house at Avadi. Lunch there. Then to Vadapalani (Jayaraman-Kalyani). On our way back, we went to Mrs Saveetha's house at Adyar. She is a close friend of Krithika. Back home after 8 hours' travel. 5 Oct 2011. Today is Saraswathi Poojai. We perfrormed it nic...

I had written my first and only blog on KOLU in 2004 - read here . From then on we used to celebrate Kolu every year except for 2008 when Girija had passed away. This year, 2010, we started the preparations on 7th Oct when the slotted-angles and sheets were taken down from the attic and steps (படி) were erected. The dolls were also taken from the attic, dusted, and generally cleaned. With this step over, Krithika decorated the place and arranged the dolls. Arvind took care of serial lights. Thus the Kolu started this year. Guests started coming from the next day, that is 8th Oct. Aditi was ecstatic and excited. UPDATE on 17 Oct 2010. Today (17 Oct) is Vijaya Dasami Day. The day auspicious for commencing education / music etc. Chi Sriram, (2 1/2 years young), s/o Arun is going to school from today. Yesterday, Saturday the 16th, was Sri Saraswati Poojai. We performed it from 10-45 to 11-40 AM. Aditi's books were kept predominantly. Thus ended this year's Na...

NAVARATHRI (KOLU) Festivals in Hindu culture are aplenty all through the year – starting from Varuzha Pirappu, to Deepavali, to Pongal. But, no festival, not even Deepavali, can match Navarathri for the splendor and richness. In Bengal, it is THE POOJA. The entire State wears a festive look these ten days. In Mysore and Karnataka it is opulence personified. In Gujarat and Mumbai it is Dandia - garba time. In many cities like Delhi it is Ram Leela. Hyderabad will be shining during these 10 days. The entire country is decked up. No other festival can simply match Navarathri. The festival to celebrate the triumph of GOOD over evil. In TamilNadu we celebrate it as a private, not a community, festival. Decades ago the festival was simple, performed with bhakti-shradda. Steps (padi) were made with whatever available material, clay dolls of Gods and Goddesses in their purest form were only displayed, young girls going about personally inviting others, and SINGING in all the houses they visite...