Navaratri Marapachi Bommai

Today, I am going to share the inputs from someone close to our family. Pushpa Vasudev from Bangalore is not my cousin (maternal aunt’s daughter). She is closer than that, almost like a real elder sister. We have a special bond between us that was created during the vacations we spent together as children. I would call her Puppa Akka and sometimes still do. That’s our comfort level. In this interview, Pushpa Akka highlights the importance of Navaratri Marapachi Bommai in South Indian celebrations of the festival.

Navaratri Marapachi Bommai:

Pushpa Vasudev said, “Golu is the display of dolls in South Indian homes especially during Navaratri/Dasehra festival. In the era of joint family, Golu was very competitive and during Navaratri all the friends and relatives were invited to see the Golu at home. It is customary to purchase a few dolls during Navaratri or at least one doll each year, which are displayed along with the old dolls. It is also ensured that there are few wooden dolls displayed in Golu without fail. The wooden dolls are popularly known as Marapachi Bommai in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.”