Thiruvananthapuram is yet again in a festive mood with Navaratri celebrations that began on October 11.
The highlight of the first day of Navaratri was the customary procession of deities from the border temples of Tamil Nadu — the idol of Goddess Saraswati from the Thevarakkettu shrine at Padmanabhapuram Palace, the horse-mounted idol of Kumaraswamy from Kumarakoil temple, and that of Munnuttinanga from Suchindram temple.
Their arrival marks the beginning of nine days of festivities featuring music, dance, rituals and the arrangement of Golu dolls, which has evolved as a social celebration.
A cherished venue for the celebrations is the heritage-rich Navaratri Mandapam of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, where Goddess Saraswati is worshipped for nine days.
The mandapam, which once hosted Vedic chanting, dance and scholarly discussions, has now turned into a stage for music in its most pristine form, with the acoustics and lighting maintained in the traditional manner.
The mornings feature performances by dance and music groups from across the state. In the evenings, the concluding event is the customary Carnatic kacheri, organised by the eminent musician Rama Varma-led Navaratri Mandapam Trust.
The musical nights have been held here since the time of the legendary monarch-musician Swati Thirunal Balarama Varma, 150 years ago. He even composed nine songs in nine ragas to be sung during the festival.
Over the years, several legends have performed at the venue. This year, the kacheri duration has been extended by half an hour, and will be held from 6pm to 9pm.
“This reminds us of the incident when celebrated Carnatic maestro M D Ramanathan sang at the mandapam well after the stipulated 8.30pm, and hence, was mildly reprimanded for it. He asked the organisers not to invite him again. But his music was so missed that he had to return to the festival in the coming years,” recalls an organiser.
This year's Navaratri concerts were opened by maestro Sanjay Subramaniam who performed on October 12. He sang ‘Devi Jagajjanani’ in Raga Shankarabharanam, the raga assigned for the opening dayof the festival concert.
The second day of the festival is for Raga Kalyani, while the third is for Raga Saveri, which Rama Varma will render on October 13. Varma’s disciple Amrutha Venkatesh will sing the Thodi raga on the fourth day, while Sri Ganesh will perform Bhairavi on the Chitra Veena on the fifth day, the only instrumental presentation.
Another artist to watch out for is vocalist and Carnatic guru Sreedev Rajagopal, who will render Shuddha Saveri on the seventh day.
The Saraswati Mandapam at Poojappura is another venue that will host quality performances. Besides, voluntary groups and residential associations are planning Navaratri celebrations featuring art and music performances.
More marked than the regular programmes, however, is the world of dolls put together during Navaratri.
Golu is a Tamil tradition, brought to Keralam primarily by the migrant Tamil population that settled in various parts of the city in residential clusters called agraharams or Chettiar Theruvu. Here, Navaratri means displaying three, five, seven or nine tiers of dolls representing life, the human world, and the divine.
“Golu has undergone a lot of transformation,” says Latha Ramakrishnan, who lives in an apartment complex at Kaithamukku. “Many do not keep it at home because of space constraints or because there is no one at home to help them. Keeping Golu is elaborate, and nowadays, we give the dolls to groups to organise it as a social event.”
She remembers how her grandmother used to celebrate Navaratri in the agraharam in Alappuzha, where she grew up. “That slowly waned even during my generation, because we were working women who were short of time. Keeping Golu demands a regime of rituals — doing pooja three times, offering prasadam, inviting guests, feeding them, gifting clothes to girls and women, etc. — which requires a lot of space and time,” she says.
So, Golu has now turned ‘sarvanajik’ in many places and has also evolved in its themes, with displays no longer restricted to divinities or mythology.
“Last year, I saw a Golu spread at the home of a former ISRO official that included a miniature rocket-launching process. Let us see how it is this time,” Latha smiles.
Shyam V of Ayodhya Nagar Association says the facility at Sree Varaham, where the association functions, has become a venue for a “social Golu”, with people bringing dolls from home for display.
“This year, we have received so many dolls that we have planned two huge stands. We also allow people to come and conduct other rituals from here. Another change now is that artists who want to perform can do so on the stage at the facility anytime,” he says.
Aneesha V, who works at Technopark, is carefully planning her time to organise a grand Golu at her house near Sreekandeswaram. “I have adjusted the rituals to my convenience without losing its essence,” she says.
Apart from displays by individuals or small groups, community displays include Golu spreads arranged in shops and local temples, and in public places such as Chalai and Karamana Chettiar Theruvu, the township where the makers of Golu dolls settled years ago.
Large displays have also emerged, with rooms dedicated to Golu, such as the Sakthi Kripa Navaratri Golu at Pettah and the spread at the Lalithambika Sangeetha Natya Koodam at Vazhuthacaud.
Thus, Thiruvananthapuram tunes itself to the music that turns prayer into a spiritually immersive experience during the Navaratri, reflecting the capital’s rich cultural roots.
Golu tale
The Navaratri Golu depicts scenes from ancient Indian stories, and also represents the cosmic hierarchy and evolution of life. The dolls are arranged on an odd number of steps (padis), with the highest reserved for the supreme essence, followed by deities, and different stages of evolutionary life.
Navaratri is a time to revisit the lessons in these stories and the enduring idea of good triumphing over evil. Golu offers a miniature, visual way to understand and remember these values, bringing families and communities together while supporting traditional art and artisans.