• Golu means doll figurine display. It is celebrated in association with Navratri in South India. Golu is an interesting festival and it is different from other festivals. The Golu/kolu is observed mainly in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
• The Golu festival is a celebration of dolls and figurines made of clay. The festival has an underlying relation to agriculture. In the past, to meet the need of clay for making figurines, this festival sought attention for drenching of canals and desilting was sought. So the Golu/kolu festival has a close relation to agriculture and allied activities.
• Kolu Gods are not a mere display of figurines and dolls. It has deep meaning too. It symbolizes the hierarchy of spirituality and essence of life.
• Kolu figurines are displayed on a stand made of wooden plank or steel stand, which has an odd number of steps (3,5,7, 9 or 11) . The stand is covered with fabric. Then figurines are arranged on each step. Each step has its own significance and has to be dedicated to different phases of life and spirituality.
Steps 1 to 3: Dedicated to Gods.
Steps 4 to 6: Demi Gods and enlightened men like Swami Vivekananda, Meerabai, Shirdi Sai Baba
Step 7: Festivals and Rituals
Step 8 : Everyday activities like agriculture, cooking
Step 9 : Wooden Dolls called Marapachi Bommai which were given to the bride on the occasion of her marriage to initiate Navarathri kolu at her husband’s place.
There are also other concepts in relation to the steps and its symbolic meaning. Another popular concept is
• The step distinguishes lives, a first state without much knowledge like living animals followed by living with brain and indulging in material life like Chettiyars(the business group) and then reaching much higher state.
• The evenings of Kolu is fun filled and also sees gathering of families and neighbours, mainly the womenfolk by visiting each other’s home and serving Tambulam (Betel leaves, Arecanut, Vermilion, Blouse Piece, Small Mirror, Coconut and Turmeric Powder).
• The Nine days of Kolu Fest ends by putting the dolls for sleep and packing it carefully for the nest Navratri Season.