I’m not a big fan of Navaratri. It brings back memories of pattu pavadai-chattai , plaited hair and sundry mamis asking why I wouldn’t sing (all of which I hated). But I was quite interested in the golu. Some of my mum’s friends had huge displays ranging from nine to 13 steps. Ours depended on mum’s mood that year. It could be a few dolls put out because you had to have something or three or five steps.
When I was a kid, much of the display was overtly religious, notwithstanding an occasional snake charmer here or a farmer there. Later, more non-religious themes began to appear: my son learnt about bricklaying, pottery, weaving, fishing, carpentry via the dolls. I was very taken with a kitchen set that showed off an ammikallu, aatukallu, ural-ullakkai … all of which I played with, as I pretended to help my grandmother in her kitchen.
So with Navaratri round the corner, a friend and I decided to check out Poompuhar’s golu display. Of course, the gods were displayed in all their glory but what took our fancy were the sets that took their inspirations from real life and films.
There was Padmini in her Thillana Mohanambal avatar dancing on a temple mandap with Sivaji Ganesan playing the nadaswaram on the side and an interested audience watching the show. Then there is the scene from Maya Bazaar where Bheema single-handedly finishes the wedding lunch.
Sports were represented by a cricket match in progress and a boxing match. Music and dance get quite a display: a musical band, a Kathakali performance, a kutcheri set, a set of different musical instruments, a set showing different dances like Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kuchippudi and Mohiniattam.
I couldn’t help wishing that models of folk tales like the ‘Thirsty Crow’ and ‘The Fox and the Crow’ had been available when my son was younger. The latter story is beautifully complete: it has a house in front of which an old woman is frying vadais , the crow is sitting atop a tree and the fox is hiding behind the tree. The thirsty crow is clutching the rim of a pitcher and dropping a stone into it.
Another eye-catching display was one on paddy cultivation. This one has multiple components: a field, a woman with saplings, a man with a winnowing basket, a thresher, a landlord overseeing it all. The green of the field is a perfect replica of the colour of the paddy field. Next to this was the kili josiyam set. The old woman sitting hunched over the cards, the parrot picking out one and the hopeful couple in front… such a familiar scene at temple festivals across the state.
Rituals based around the family get a lot of prominence. There is the janavasam and the marriage ceremony. Then the valakappu for the pregnant woman, the child’s ear-piercing ceremony and finally the sastiabthapoorthy . That’s the circle of life, right there.
The one Navaratri-themed display that I loved was the replica of the Mysore dussehra procession with the maharajah on his caparisoned elephant. It evoked the grandeur and pomp of the actual sight.
There are plenty of individual dolls: the potter, the weaver and his loom, a vegetable shop, a farmer and his plough; animals like the zebra, tiger, elephant and horse.
Some of the dolls took off from mythological episodes. We laughed ourselves into stitches over the one of Kumbhakarna being woken up from sleep. You have one man perched on his chest, another pulling his hair, a third beating on drums next to his ear and another one bringing in trays of food. Of course, the Ramayana gets pride of place in the display. There are whole sets showing the birth of the four princes, Sita swayamvar, Soorpanakha’s mutilation, Hanuman’s embassy at Ravana’s court, his bringing the Sanjeevani mountain and finally the pattabhisekham. Unfortunately these are scattered through the display. There is also a Ras Leela set with Krishna dancing with many gopis.
Most of these mud dolls are made locally in Perur, says R. Narendrabbose, the manager. The rest come from across the state. There are the colourful Kondapalli and Channapatna dolls too. We were struck by the palanquin set, farmer and his plough and a vegetable shop in the Kondapalli style. I squeal with delight on seeing the birds, rabbits, tortoises in the Channapatna style — my playthings when I was a kid. Our tour of the golu display over, we take a look at what else Poompuhar offers and find, to our surprise, that there is plenty. Bags, jewellery, paintings, wall hangings and more…
Unfortunately the problem lies with the display. The golu dolls were placed in a haphazard manner and the aisle between the two sides was so narrow that we were in danger of knocking some of the dolls down. I wish the showroom was better lit and the display organised in a manner that shows off their wares in the best manner possible.
Poompuhar’s golu exhibition is on until October 13. Poompuhar is located in Town Hall and is open from 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. There is a 10 per cent discount on the golu dolls.
