Pavement shops selling golu idols
Chennai

Shopping for Golu Festival

Golu festival is big in South India, where we keep display of dolls and idols in our houses and invite our friends and family. A kind of creating an occasion to visit their houses in turn. It is celebrated during Navratri (meaning nine nights – the festival of nights) with three days each devoted to worship of Durga (the Goddess of strength), Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth) and Saraswati (the Goddess of Knowledge). No visit to a house for Golu is complete without the tasty Sundal snack each will serve. (My previous posts on Golu)

Today evening wife softly asked me are you free?, I know this means work. I hesitatingly said “yes”, which led me going along with her to do Golu shopping. I was standing in front of pavements and marriage halls (where temporary shops have been put up) near our locality for next two hours, while she was browsing through each item.

Shops in pavement selling Golu idols

(Shops in pavement selling Golu idols)

Shops in a marriage hall selling Golu gifts

(Shops in a marriage hall selling Golu gifts)

Kamadhenu Gift
(Kamadhenu idol wife got for Rs.230 per piece as return gift for Golu celebrations.Kamadhenu in Hindu mythology is mother of all cows and cow of plenty)

Navathri2013 Wooden Train
(Bought this wooden train set for Rs.320 ($5) from pavement shop for my son to keep in his room)