Chennai: Navarathri, or the nine sacred days, is celebrated with fervour and festivity all over the country.
These nine days are dedicated solely to Goddess Durga and her nine avatars. It is a celebration of good over evil. There will be display of dolls and figurines for the nine days and these displays are typically thematic, narrating a legend from a Hindu text.
With just a few days left for Navarathri, sale of dolls have begun in several places across the neighbourhood and people are geared up for the festive occasion making all arrangements.
As is the case with every Navarathri, this time too, the neighbourhoods of Mambalam and T Nagar are lined with colourful kolu dolls, with residents competing with one another to showcase their creativity in the same.
At West Mambalam, Rajagopalan Narayanan, a resident of 28, Postal Colony Third Street, displayed a thematic kolu named ‘Mystical mahamayi cave temple’, at his residence.
Speaking on this, he said,”This is based on the ultimate life concept called ‘Brahmananda Tejas’, with a collection of energy products over a period of 41 years.”
“The display has mountain, rock, waterfall, fire, ocean-cosmic sound effects, crystal and crystal rocks, pyramids, Vishnu chakras, 1000 lingams, saligrams, rudrakshas, plants, flowers, colorful lightings and many more items,” he said.
“Over the years, I had collected all these items from various places, right from Kanyakumari to parts of Himalayas. I am all set to explain to the visitors about significance of each and every item here,” pointed out Rajagopalan.
His kolu opens to public from 10 October and for details, contact 95515 55898.
Similarly, thematic ones like Ramayana, Mahabharata, cricket match sets are on display and sale at an exhibit organised by craftsmen from Puducherry, at a marriage hall in Arya Gowda Road.
In T Nagar on the other hand, various shrines are gearing up to celebrate the festival with pomp and grandeur. As usual, the Bengal Association at Giri Street is displaying goddess Durga Devi in different forms at its premises.
Institutions like Little Oxford School at Ramanujam Street too have encouraged children to set up kolus at their premises.