TranslateWhen: September/October
Navaratri in Tamil Nadu is quieter and more domestic than in other parts of India. Households set up a kolu, a tiered display of dolls and figurines depicting gods, village life and mythology, and invite neighbours over each evening for songs, sundal and a small gift. The nine nights are divided between Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
When
September or October, over nine nights
Where
Homes and temples statewide; Kanchipuram, Chennai and Thanjavur are notable
Duration
Nine nights and ten days
Main highlight
Golu doll displays and Saraswati Puja
An odd number of steps — usually three, five, seven or nine — is built and covered with cloth, then arranged with dolls collected over generations. Central to most displays are the marapachi wooden dolls and a Chettiar doll set. Each evening, women and children visit neighbouring homes, sing classical or devotional songs, and receive sundal and tambulam.
A different variety of sundal — boiled legumes tempered with mustard, curry leaves and coconut — is prepared on each of the nine days. The ninth day, Saraswati Puja, sees books, musical instruments and tools placed before the goddess, and the tenth, Vijayadashami, is considered auspicious for beginning study and starting music or dance lessons. Temples hold special alangaram for the goddess each evening.
Temple kolu displays in Chennai's Mylapore, Kanchipuram's Kamakshi Amman temple and Madurai's Meenakshi temple are open to visitors. Doll markets in Mylapore and Kanchipuram sell golu figures in the weeks before. Some heritage homes and cultural organisations open their kolu displays to the public during the nine days.
