“Navaratri Golu is an occasion for the reunion of relatives, friends and colleagues. This tradition was handed down to me by my mother and I have been upholding it for about 45 years now, starting from the age of 7. The 9 days of Navratri are dedicated to the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The poojas and the prayers ensure the purity of thoughts and intentions. They are a pathway to enable the coming generations to understand the rich traditions and the values associated with the Hindu religion. I enjoy this festival especially because it allows me to connect to what I strongly believe in. Each step of the golu stands for a specific theme starting with animals and birds to human beings on the lower steps and the Mahans and deities on the higher steps. This time we have put up a theme portraying the Bhoologam, Vaikundam, and Kailasam apart from the traditional Golu. Navratri, I believe, brings my family together as it is a joyous occasion with pleasant memories. These 9 days, we invite all our neighbors, relatives and friends to our house to visit our golu and receive ‘Thamboolam’. It is a belief that the people visiting the house are equivalent to the goddesses. I consider it a blessing to have people come over and offer them sundal and gifts. In this fast-paced world, Navaratri provides an occasion for us to get together and connect with old friends, neighbors and relatives. The air is rife with positivity, happiness, music and slokas. As I see it, I believe that it is our duty to carry the traditions and the values to our children, the next generation and the generations to come!”

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