Mother’s Of Girl Children - Do You Celebrate Navratri Golu?

Anika I keep Golu because it's a tradition followed at my in laws house. My mom never kept one even though she has two girls as kids. Plus I believe it's not about being a mother to a girl or boy child. It's a festival dedicated to the goddess and we believe that young girl (our own child it could be or someone else child) is an avatar of the goddess. In modern terms if I have say it's a festival to celebrate womanhood or the power of being a woman/girl.

Coming to keeping golu, here are few pointers : These are not to discourage you. But to give you a heads up on few aspects of the festival because I am assuming you have not celebrated this festival anytime before.

1) Golu keeping is a task and is a marathon festival.(9 continuous days of morning and evening neivaidhyam, chanting of Lalitha Sahasranamam two times, reading other religious texts if you have time, inviting few others ladies in friends and family circle for thamboolam etc. ) First year when my MIL called me and informed me that I should start the tradition I didn't realize much of the do's and don'ts and immediately started off with great enthusiasm only to understand that this festival needs much more dedication than I actually imagined.

2)This year will be my 7th golu and trust me I have learnt a lot in following the traditions. Every year something new gets added on in terms of the procedure(i am still in learning stage) . Past 6 years I have managed my office and golu and let me tell you it is a tough festival to manage both work and pooja. But I wouldn't give up any year and manage it somehow . If you have busy work schedule(i do understand that you are a homemaker but you maybe busy with lot of other stuff wrt managing kid etc ) I would recommend don't start it yet because someone keeps saying /said you to keep golu . Yes it's a great festival to bond and connect with God and off course you can enjoy meeting near and dear ones because there will be a lot of golu hopping happening once you start and definitely a time to bond with family and friends.

3) Do remember as per traditions once you start keeping golu it cannot be stopped any year unless there's a strong reason (illness, periods, death in the family etc).

4) if you have a tradition in your house(in laws or mother's side) I would recommend start it and slowly you can learn from either mommy or MIL about the do's and don'ts during the festival.

Do let me know if you decide to keep golu . good luck.

 

@anika987 it's about following tradition, either mom or mother inlaw since majority of Indian society is patriarchal in-laws tradition is followed up from Family deity , tonsure, thread ceremony, weddings, Poojas, homams etc

Ask your in-laws or mom whether you can take it up or not. Again it's a life long commitment. It will give a new circle of friends. Earlier days golu was females event to socialize and know each other show case their hospitality, dance, singing, decorations ability.
Now a days I'm seeing as who has better dolls, who did better decorations, who did gave expensive gift, who got prize golu in locality, who wore different and latest pattu sarees.
So don't go with peer pressure.
I think your child would like to go n invite her friends and cousins .... I was like her. Pester my mom for keeping golu. As we didn't have keeping golu tradition.
So my mom would invite on Saraswathi Pooja day all her friends, neighbors, dad's friends wives, my friends, my friends moms. Would give thamboolam and gifts to kids and high tea with lalitha sahasranamam, bhajans. We used to decorate our Pooja room beautifully and dress up nice. We don't miss golu and enjoy more.
PS : post wedding pestered my mil for golu, my MIL's mil had tradition mil somehow discontinued, (I'm on FIL good books)so mil buys dolls and gives to friends and family who keep golu and also to temples. First year of our wedding I, my mil invited our colleagues, friends one day for dinner and relatives on another day during navarathri.
Pls don't go with peer pressure and think to take up traditions.

 

i dont keep golu. its not connected with a girl child
this is just for fun

 

I have never heard of this. Everyone in my family who wishes to keep golu does so, irrespective of the gender of their children.

 

I think it’s got nothing do with girl child as many already suggested above. If your family does it then you can follow it, else not an issue.

My granny has 3 kids ie my dad and 2 uncles. But she used to celebrate Dussehra because it’s a family tradition. So my mom follows the same.

 

Over the years we have travelled-to and lived-in many countries. The souvenirs also get a place on the golu steps. We continue the tradition, although there are no children at home now, and invite friends over.
The rationale for having a golu at home evolves over time. Eventually it comes down to people doing the whatever, because they want to.
In our house, putting up a golu is a task ( haven't we been using the words "house" and "task" on reality shows ?) that is done happily; however, having done that, it doesn't come-down in 10 days, but stays up for a month or even more. If dolls can stack one inside the other, and take up less room, perhaps more of us would buy them and put it up each year during Navaraathri.

These stacking Russian dolls are now available in Indian motif also...

 

I started with a pressure from MIL. Not that I regret now but as I mentioned this festival takes a considerable amount of efforts to keep the festival momentum going. I could have conveniently told her anyways you are keeping, once you stop I'll start keeping as I can't manage with office work. But for some reasons I did not do that .

If I were you I would tell these peers that "there's no tradition at MIL's house so I'm not keeping it. "

Nevertheless get your girl dressed and go golu hopping so that she also doesn't feel disappointed.

If you feel doing it in your house would make more sense to you then sure why not. There's no stopping from anyone. Start off and enjoy the festival..