GOLU DEPICTING NATIONAL INTEGRATION
It shows Unity in Diversity prevailing in India by showing dolls of different regions of India. All the dolls are handmade doll after stitching on cloth and then stuffing with cotton and finally putting jewelry and painting on the cloth.
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GUJARAT DOLL
Girl from Gujarat State wearing a skirt decorated with famous Kutch Mirror work embroidery.She is carrying basket on her head.
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JAMMU KASHMIR
Kashmiri Girl wearing long silver embroidered top and churidaar at bottom. She wears silver jewellery with huge silver earrings hanging from her ears, which is sign of married woman.
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WEST BENGAL
Lady from West Bengal wearing typical white with red border saree and at the end her pallu will have key chain tied to it. She is going to fetch water
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TAMIL NADU
Iyer lady, from Tamil Nadu, going to Temple wearing a Kanchivaram silk saree.
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MAHARASHTRA
Maharashtrian lady in a saree, pearl jwellery and black beads chain typical of Maharashtra.
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KERALA
Keralite lady wearing a Mundu (2 piece saaree). It is usually white with colored border.Keralite woman wear a lot of Gold jewellery
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BRUM BRUM MAADH
Brum Brum Maadh(in tamil) means the prophecy Making Bull (bull which does bhavishya vaani) The person will walk along the streets and go in front of each house for prophecy and in turn get alms.
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KARNATKA
This is a lady waering a saaree in a typical Coorgi Style . Coorg is hilly part of Karnatka known for scenic beauty and is an attractive tourist spot
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ASSAM
Assamese tribal girl picking Tea Leaves
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SAKUNTLA IN FOREST, WITH HER PET DEER
Shakuntla is carrying pot to fetch water from river in forest with her pet deer. She was the daughter of Menaka and Vishwamitra adopted and later brought up by Kanva Maharishi.She is the heroine of famous Sanskrit play Abhijnana Sakuntla (meaning memento –ring given as memento by Dushyanta to Sakuntla) written by Kalidasa
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LORD KRISHNA AND ARJUNA
Lord Shri Krishna expounding the Bhagvat Gita to Arjuna before the start of Mahabahrata War
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BHARATNATYAM DOLL
Bharatnatyam is classical dance form of Tamil Nadu. This doll depicts one of the pose of Bharatnatyam dance which is supposed to be the pose of shy bride wearing traditional dress and jewellery.
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AANDAL
She was one of the Vaishnavite saints of Tamil Nadu. She was found in Tulsi Vana (forest) by another saint Periazhwar . She was very devoted to Sri Krishna and composed many devotional songs about Krishna.She is especially known for Garland of 30 poems composed for the month of Mriga Shesha (Dec15 to Jan 15).It is supposed to be the dawn of the GODS. In Tamil Nadu during this month every body gets up at 4:00am and go in procession to temple singing these songs. Traditionally this month is devoted to prayers and spirituality and no marriages are performed during this period.
More about Saint Aandal follows in 2 stories, STORY1 of AANDAL and STORY2 of SRI RANGAM.STORY1-AANDAL
As a young girl, Aandal used to wear Garland of flowers (and praise herself looking at her reflection in well water without her fathers knowledge) strung by her father before he took it to offer to GOD. But one day he saw her and got very angry. He then made another garland to offer to diety in the temple. But when he offered this garland to Lord, it kept falling off from diety and Lord would not accept the garland. That night Lord Vishnu appeared in father’s dream and told him that HE likes to wear garland worn by Aandal. When Aandal grew up , she wanted to marry Lord Vishnu only. GOD appeared in his father’s dream and asked to bring his daughter to Sri Rangam Famous temple in Trichy .
This temple is supposed to be the replica of VaikunthaNath. Here river Kaveri splits into two and then joins again forming an Island where Sri Rangam is situated . (This is similar to River Seine in Paris and where on the island Notre Dame Cathedral is situated) . Kaveri river at this place is considered as River Viraja (the celestial river) which soul has to cross after death to reach Vaikuntha. Rest of the story of Srirangam is continued in STORY2-SRI RANGAM .So as per his dreams father took Aandal to Sri Rangam temple.When she entered shrine, she disappeared and merged with GOD in GarbaGriha .On Jan 15 at the end of month of Mriga Shesha ,marriage of Aandal is celebrated in all temples of South India.STORY2-SRI RANGAM
Famous place in Trichy in which is situated the famous temple of Sri Ranga Natha .This main image of Sri Ranga Natha is considered to be the Kula Devam of Sri Rama’s family and was originally worshipped in Ayodhya.
During Sri Rama’s Incarnation , Sri Rama gave it to Vibhishana . Vibhishana was carrying it to Sri lanka. On the way near Kaveri river Vibhishana wanted to stop a little bit and he did not want to put the image down on ground . Then a small boy appeared and offered to hold it for him.When Vibhishana returned ,the boy had put the image on the ground and had run away. The Lord Ranga natha told Vibhishana that he should not punish the boy because HE, Lord Ranga Natha himself wanted to stay at this place permanently. So in this temple Lord is lying on SheshaNaag looking southwards towards Srilanka. It is believed that every nght Vibhishana comes to worship him.Little boy is none other than Vighneshwara who ran to the top of hill near Trichy and can be seen in Temple there called as Utchipillaiyar temple(meaning –at top)
Sri Rangam temple has seven Prakaras (each wall with four Gopurams i.e entrance gateway and such 7 walls surround the diety). Each prakaram is supposed to be each stage that human soul passes until we reach Garba Griha which is abode of Parmatma(all powerful Lord)On the auspicious Baikuntha Ekadasi night people remain awake all night singing bhajans and lords praises and early morning the image of Lord Sri ranga natha is brought out through a special doorway called as ParmaPada Vasal (vasal means doorway) . If people have darshan of this then they are supposed to go straight to ParamPada or Vaikuntha(heaven) .(Nowadays there is direct telecast of this in television at 3:00 am). This custom of bringing out diety early in the morning on Vaikuntha Ekadasy day is followed in all Temples of Tamil Nadu.
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SARASWATI PUJA
So most of the people keep lots of idols at their homes and invite guests to their house to see their Golu. On 7th day Saraswati puja is done which is done in all the houses in which they worship Goddess Saraswati which has power of showering blessing with which people excel in studies and singing. On this day also people visit their relative’s house. Even people who have not kept Golu, in their house will definitely do Saraswati Puja and invite people in their house on this day. Relatives will come and sing Carnatic song in front of diety and host will offer vaithapaak(sindoor,turmeric,beetle nut in beetle leaves and blouse bit ,coconut or some fruits )to guests and also offer sundal to eat there as prasaadam.
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Famous singer Smt Uma Ramanan visited Aunty’s house where I witnessed Golu and Saraswati Puja.
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Also during this day pooja for all the machinery in house (computer, laptop, washing machine, dish washer, television, sewing machine) and puja of vehicles is also done so called as AYUDHA Pooja.
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AYUDHA PUJA
In offices also , a priest will be called and puja will be done for all machines of offices like computers and vehicles and it is supposed to bring prosperity to the company .In my office CDOT Alcatel Lucent Research Center , Ayudh Puja is done every year.
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