Doll arrangements in homes during Dussera

Navratri, the nine-night festival, celebrates Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswathi in South India. Kolu (also written as Golu) doll arrangement is an essential part of the celebration. The origin of the word Kolu can be traced to Tamil Kolu or Telegu Koluvai, which means a sovereign sitting in his royal court.

The concept of arranging the Navratri dolls on the planks depicts Goddess Mahishasuramardini sitting in her Kolu, prior to the slaying of the demon Mahishasura. This year, Navratri Kolu begins on October 8.

The festival is known as Bommla Koluvu in Andhra Pradesh and Navarathri in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Navratri is observed as Dusshera in Karnataka, where it is observed for ten days. The main event during Navrathri in South India is the display of dolls and idols – Kolu and the placing of Kalash, which represents Goddess.

Collecting Dolls

Although the dolls are only decorated during the ten days of Dussera, the collection of dolls builds over years. These dolls can be very simple to very complicated ones as per ones taste.

Marapachi Bommai

Marapachi dolls, mostly made of reddish wood, are finely carved figurines, available in various sizes. These dolls are a pair of male and female dolls, always sold as a couple. The female doll in Marapachi dolls is displayed to the right of the male doll and is usually placed on the first step or after Lord Ganesh.

Marapachi dolls are a proud possession for many families and are handed down generations. There is also a tradition of parents gifting their newly married daughter a Marapachi doll so that she can start Kolu display in her house. Some Tamil communities perform a ritual of symbolic wedding of the Marapachi dolls. This is usually carried out by girls whose wedding are delayed for some reason.

Marapachi toys were made for children in ancient days. Today, they are an indispensable part of Navratri doll arrangements. During display, the wooden couple is beautifully adorned with colorful attires and jewellery.

Arrangement of Golu

The first three days of the festival are dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, the next three days to Saraswati, Goddess of Learning and Arts and the last three days to Shakti, Goddess of Power and Might.

Arranging Navratri Kolu is an event in itself. Every year, women of the household, enthusiastically arrange these dolls as per their tastes. These Navratri dolls are arranged in several tiers. A maximum of nine tiers (Padis) can be set up to arrange the dolls, depending on the space and time available.

Some may remodify the existing dolls with additional ornamentation, or they add a couple of new dolls to the existing collection to every year. It also entails inviting neighbors, friends and other relatives to visit your home and view the Kolu decoration. Women exchange coconuts, small gifts and sweets amongst themselves. Married women (Sumangali) also exchange pouches containing a small mirror, turmeric, comb, beetle leaves with a beetlenut.

The most important dolls in the Kolu arrangement are the King-Queen (marapaachi bommais). These are expensive dolls and a set of them is found in all traditional households. Another important idol is that of Goddess Saraswati. A Kalash is also placed along with the Golu.

Tier 1, 2, 3 – These steps are devoted solely to the Gods; different idols of various Gods are arranged here. The ceremonial jar for holy water, which is a conical vessel,  is filled with fresh water. A silk cloth is used to cover the mouth of the vessel, and a coconut and mango leaves are placed on top of it. Also known as Kumbhan, this is kept on the first step.

Tier 4, 5, 6 – The next three steps are dedicated to demigods, saints like Sai Baba, great men like Swami Vivekananda. Some households even place dolls of national leaders who have sacrificed their lives for the country.

Tier 7 – Various arrangements, such as the marriage scene and Pongal motif, which signify the various human activities, are placed on the seventh tier.

Tier 8 – The eighth tier is assigned to various businesses and crafts. The Chettiar dolls, which are an equivalent of a businessman and his wife, are placed here, and commodities like rice, pulses in cups and other utensils are placed in front of them.

Tier 9 – The ninth tier is the last phase.  Traditional wooden dolls called Marapachi — male and female dolls dressed in colorful and glittering clothes — are placed. Dolls of animals, birds, reptiles and other forms of nature are also kept on this tier.

On the night of Dussera, after the ceremonial Arti and prayers, the dolls are put to ‘sleep.’ The next day, the dolls are packed carefully in cloth or paper and preserved for use the next year.

A novel trend evolving is the concept of `Community Kolus’. Several women, who are otherwise unable to keep Kolu in their homes, cumulate and put up a Navratri Kolu in a common place.

DIY flower garlands, lamps and colorful cushions

It is said that the decoration of a house reveals the soul of the homeowner. So while decorating your home, keep an eye on the color and textures to complement your style.

Flower Garlands

You can make beautiful floral garlands, popularly known as Torans to give a warm welcome to your guests. Traditional Torans are made of mango leaves and marigold flowers, giving a fresh and authentic look. 

All you need to do is to bead the flowers with a long needle and a strong thread (can also use thread used for flying kites). You can choose either fresh or artificial flowers made of paper and plastic. Torans made of artificial flowers are reusable, while fresh flowers emit a beautiful fragrance as one enters the house.

Weave them and make some big and small strands. Tie leaves to the cord at equal distances from each other. In between the leaves, tie the garland. Your Toran is now ready. Fix nails at the two ends of the door frame and tie the ends of the garland to it.

You can also weave in paper balls, bells, streamers, beads or embellish them with embroidery, mirror, shells, motifs of various Hindu Gods etc.

Giving a festive charm to the celebration, the flower garlands not only make excellent pieces of decoration but also make exquisite gift items.

Lamps

People love to bedeck their homes with an extra bit of illumination, which make decorative lamps quite popular during the festive season. These lamps can be made with various materials.

Most households light warm, sparkling bright lights of Diyas. In addition to earthen lamps, wax candles of various shapes, colors and sizes can also be used. And there are quite a few ways to decorate candles and personalize them: 

• Use fresh or dried flower petals to surround the areas near candles. If you are using purple flowers, you can paint the candles with different patterns in the same color to environ with the petals. 
• Glitter is fun and a simple way to make your candles special. Spread a thin layer of transparent glue on the candles, and sprinkle glitter. 
• You can make fancy knots using ribbons or strips of sheer material, and tie them on the candle holders for a bright effect. 
• Place a candle on the shelf or behind furniture and cover it with colored glass. This produces a shimmering rainbow effect. Be careful that there are no inflammables around the candle. 

If you are bored of the myriad paper lanterns available in the market, it’s time to inflame your innovation. Start collecting empty cold drink cans. Cut open the top lid, and paint any pattern that you fancy. Hammer holes of various sizes, according to the pattern. You can also cut them in various shapes. Place candles or small light bulbs inside the cans; hang them in dark places, and watch the exciting shadows it throws on the nearby walls.

Colorful Cushions

If a room lacks brightness, and you do not have time to get it repainted, your best bet is to throw in some bright colored cushions. Cushions provide lavishness and comfort to your home; they are a source of relaxation in the home. There are several shapes of cushions you can make like square, round shape, heart shape and in oval shape as well; the choice is all yours. Cushion covers can be made from organza or delicate silk material to add a chic look to your home. 

Innovative Cushions - You can use rhinestones to bedazzle your cushions this festive season. Rhinestones can be attached to the fabric by putting glue underneath these pieces of jewelry. You can use of a tool called the Q-tip to pat fabric glue on the area of the material where you want to place the rhinestone. Then use a pair of tweezers to put the rhinestones on the area dabbed with glue. Allow the glue to dry for a few hours.

Traditional cushions - Mirror work material is readily available in the market. You can stitch round or square mirrors onto a cloth to make traditional-looking cushion covers.

Stenciling - Stencils are useful when you want to paint or draw something on cushion covers, but cannot do it free hand. You can simply create unique stencils yourself; all you need is a computer, paper, and printer. Select or draw a design you want to use for stenciling. Remember to preview it before you hit ‘Print’.

After printing the document with the design on it, cut out the actual pattern. The gaps left by the cutting will serve as your stencil and can be used to create a delightful effect on your cushion covers using fabric paints. You can use multiple colors, as well as add metallic paint for dazzling covers.

How to tailor your décor to your personality

Your home is your pride and joy, where you spend a great deal of time with loved ones; it is an extension of who you are. But does it actually reflect your personality?

This year, make Akshay Tritiya fill it with things that are important to you and make you happy. One of the most auspicious days of the Vedic calendar, commencing a new venture on Akshay Tritiya guarantees lasting success and prosperity.

Sachin Chewle of Sachin Enterprises, Thane plainly explains, “The décor of the house truly depends upon the personality that an individual possesses. This is because the colors, effects, lights, etc. of the individual’s choice play a major role in influencing the changes that are about to be made in the house to achieve this festive look.” If you look around your living room and can’t tell the difference between yours and the neighbor's, it’s time to set out on a journey to discover your personal style.

Ask yourself – which activities, environments, art do I enjoy?
Eco Style
If you are a quiet person, for Akshay Tritiya you want to do a simple Vishnu Pooja in the morning with Tulsi leaves and flowers. “Floating flowers, incense sticks are also a much economic option easily available,” furthered Sachin.

Since you cherish connecting with the natural world in your interactions outside home, you also want your home to be one with nature. Strike this balance of nature in modern décor using earth-inspired colors such as calming blues from the sky and water, greens of the leaves and earthen browns. This will compose a soothing background to wicker or reclaimed wooden furniture upholstered with washable cotton slip covers.

“Colors once again are a vital form of energy reflecting one’s personality. The festive look can be modified depending upon one’s personality. For example: for a warm, outgoing, easy going person minimal display of flashy color, more light and cool colors, dim yellow lightings would be preferable and also help in creating the much needed ambience for the festive season of ‘Akshaya Tritiya’, illustrates Sachin.

Carefree Style
If you enjoy performing an elaborate Lakshmi Puja for Akshaya Tritiya, you relish having large groups of people over often in your abode. Reverberating on your lively personality, adorn your room with a single main attraction – be it an art on the wall or a center-piece sculpture. This will set stage for self expression of your free-spirit.

For the Akshaya Tritiya festivities, Sachin suggests, “Art and music lovers can reflect their passion on different parts of areas in the house by playing soft old music or display of portraits of Sudama or Kuchela visiting Lord Krishna in Dwarka with a handful of beaten rice (poha or aval) which is the most popular in this season.”

Furniture can be a mix and match of eras and styles; a patchwork of antiques and unique items collected over time. A plush cotton rug thrown in with embroidered pillow cases will echo your delight of entertaining lots of friends at home.

Uber Style
For the cosmopolitan taste of the well-travelled personality, home will be an example of clean eclecticism - from angular modern furniture to fixtures. Minimalist pieces with clean lines reflect the global influences of your modern style.

The easiest and least expensive area to add some of your own personality to your home is with color. “For a person who is forceful, assertive, aggressive, competitive, darker shades would be suggested. Red is often a color found to be one of the favorites of such type of people. In order to achieve a festive look , curtains could be a combination of a major white and a hint of orange. White Italian marbles add to the genteel ambience and helps cooling off the warmth provided by the walls and the lights in the house,” advises Sachin.

Modern art pieces, graphic geometric fabrics alongside chunky textured shags will enhance the urban contemporary scheme.

This festive season, pull things that are bland and generic, and replace them with things that you love. And remember, while the things you love may not make your home look like the latest furniture catalog; they will make your home look more like you.