Kolu experiences Of chennai.... wheeling back my memory

my cousin sent me her snaps of kolu in USA. that just wheeled back my memory ....

I think all the males here would agree on the effort spent on setting up a golu... invariably it will be we guys who will have to arrange all the furnitures.. and it will be exactly at this time when there will a cricket match or a gud movie on tv… n the woman of the house (the home minister) will absolutely tolerate no such nonsense at that time…… :) .. n 8 out of 10 house wont have a golu stand J n we guys have to figure out a way to arrange our sofa's , benches, stools, bricks (n what not!! ) in such a manner that they resemble a series of padi ( steps) n we seldom get praise for this architectural marvel !!!! :)

Not to forget the drapings n loading n uploading of golu bommais (dolls) from the attic n carefully unpacking them neatly so that the wrapping can be used after the 10 days……

and no kolu is kept without a theme park.....
ours invariably will a smalll park with antique chairs(old dolls u c....)
n sprouts are watered in the small park so that they grow as trees..

Anyway kolu is all set... n amma usually draws a beautiful rangoli infront of the kolu..(this is one area where we guys just cant compete!!!) (i did try once, n all i could manage something which looked like a tentacled monster straight out HG Wells 'war of the worlds ' book !!!! hehe...)


then the invites fly left,right n centre... in all the houses only girls/mom/pati/mami get invited !!!! as a token of appreciation they(again female counterparts only! get basically theengai,phazam,pakku,vethalai, n yes not to forget sundals... (i usually end up doing most of the shopping for the 'stuffs')

we guys generally are left high n dry in this festival.....

N despite this we guys go to other houses to appreciate the other guy's effort in setting up a kolu stand in his house, exchange notes abt the construction... n the only incentive get is only a sundal !!!!!
(n women say life is unfair !!!)

The best thing in all these kolu is that u all girls come to visit your house :)....

Having bought up with no sisters, i always end up welcoming guests (boy was i shy to talk to girls back then!!!! ) arranging for their 'stuffs' n inititating the special effects (Basically switching off the tube light, the whole kolu will glimmer & shine in the light of lamps..)
invariably if a young kid comes she gets bribes(often dolls or chocolates) to sing a song.... with mami's there is no problem, they come n promptly start singing... (making me scurry to my room for peace !! :) )

all this continues for 9 days, And at the end of the navarathiri festival… the unpacking is altogether another story :) ...