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2023 - The Year That Was

Places impact you for a variety of reasons. And the same place impacts different people in different ways. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual experiences, where every single person’s experience is unique. And personally, every spiritual experience is unique, the same person can have different deeply spiritual experiences at different places, at different times. This thought has emerged because of my own experiences over the years, but especially so this year, with different and unique experiences at various places I have visited recently. I began this year with a visit to Baroda (Vadodara) with friends. It was meant to be a relaxed trip, a touristy trip, with our sons. We enjoyed ourselves to the hilt, but the highlight of that trip was a visit to the Lakulisha temple at Pavagadh. It was the iconography of the temple that I connected with, and I spent a few hours simply lost in the details of the figures carved around the temple. There was an indefinable connect with

Navaratri 2015 : Family Kolus

You have seen the Bommai Kolu we have kept at our home. You have seen a few of the Devis who have captured my attention during my travels. The last few days have been ultra busy, visiting friends and relatives, and hosting a few at our home. Today, let me share with you two of the most impressive Kolus from our family..... The first one is the one kept by my mom and aunt....




They do an impressive job, and its apparent where I get the interest and the creativity from :) Here is their effort this year....

The steps...

Manu-needhi Chola holding court
A marriage set

Band Baaja

Rama and Sita with Lakshman and Hanuman (not in order), a set we bought at Tirupati, years ago! They are so beautifully carved, they were hard to resist!

Assorted vessels and scenes

A whole collection of Marapachis. Samhith had fun counting them!

These aren't store bought, but made by my aunt! And these are just a few!! 

The second one is a new one for me, kept by Shankar's niece, Aparna. It was our first visit to their home for Navaratri post her marriage, and we were blown away by their dolls! Samhith spent quite some time simply sitting by their Kolu, admiring the huge and beautiful dolls! Here is a glimpse.  

An overview of their golu.. simply beautiful! 

This one was my favourite! 
A closer look at the steps

Viswaroopa Darshanam, as shown by Krishna to Arjuna

Aala-elai Krisna... so beautiful! Wish I had the space to keep such huge dolls!


And here is their unique touch! Decorated with handmade jewelry... Yes, we have lots of creative people in the family!!

And finally, a look at the whole set up..

Though there are many kolus I have seen this year, these are the only two from the family I will be posting this year, since I, rather surprisingly, forgot to take my camera along to most homes! 

Also, this year, we miss Mr. Swamy's superb arrangement, since he has shifted to his hometown. There are still a few I have to visit, like the ones at Fine Arts and our local Mariammman Temple, and I shall post photos as and when I do so.... 

Comments

  1. Happy Navarathri Anu, love ur kolu pics

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this festival. We don't have this tradition. But every Navaratri I don't miss to go to the street where they sell dolls. Loved the arrangements here. You are right, you have many creative people in your family.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The vishwaroopa darshanam is really a very beautiful set! Hard to find such what we call "kalai" in dolls they make today :)
    I was also hoping you would put up the photos of that uncle's creation.... The one who made a replica of rasika ranjani sabha n railway

    Kanthi

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