About Navratri:
Navratri is a Hindu festival of worship, song and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. During this time, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshipped.

Navratri represents the celebration of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of the deity in the form of Shakti [Energy or Power]. Dasahara, meaning 'ten days', becomes Dussehra, as it is popularly known. It is celebrated as a doll festival exclusively for and by women.

About the Golu:
During the festival of Navratri in South India, it is customary to display a "Golu", an exhibition of various dolls and figurines in odd (usually 7, 9, or 11) numbered tiers , also known as "Padis". These dolls and figurines comprise of Gods, Goddesses, demigods and more. The Golu's vary in theme from house to house - from the elaborate, extravagant ones to the simple, traditional and artistic ones.

The Navratri Golu commences with the keeping of a Kalasam, a holy brass or silver pot filled with water and topped with either a coconut or a pomegranate on mango leaves. This Kalasam is kept on the first level. In the evenings, a "Kuthuvilakku" is lit, which is a small lamp, in the middle of a decorated "kolam"(Rangoli), before the Golu and devotional hymns and shlokas are chanted. After performing the puja, the food items that have been prepared, are offered to the goddesses.

In the evening of "Vijayadasami", any one doll from the "Golu" is symbolically put to sleep and the Kalasam is moved a bit towards North to mark the end of that year's Navaratri Golu. Prayers are offered to thank God for the successful completion of that year's Golu and with a hope of a successful one the next year! Then the Golu is dismantled and packed up for the next year.

The dolls are usually handed down from generation to generation, mother to daughter. Family heirlooms handed to the next in the family line.