On Navaratri (Part XVIII)

The rules and regulations of placing Golu say that there should be a small pond in front of the Golu. Since we came to this place, we have not been able to follow the rules.

I just remembered an incident with Dolly. We had kept Jala Krida and Rasa Krida in front of the Golu, the previous Navaratri. Dolly’s grandmother had told the little girl about it. This little girl came to our home that particular Navaratri to look at the scenes we had kept. That Navaratri we had not been able to place any scene till then. So, Mom had kept 2 toys ducks inside a small pond with a small temple in the middle of the pond.

This girl came looking for something asking, “Kidhar hai?”

Mom asked, “What is where?”

The little girl replied covering her childish laugh with her hand, “Nanga nilao na. (Bathe them naked in the pond.) Ghanshyam rakho na. (Place Lord Krishna on the tree). Chadi chor. (Stealer of saris.)” She wanted to see the Jala Krida scene.

Since the little girl insisted, Mom rustled up the scene in 10 minutes though she was not prepared for it. Mom considered the little girl as Vaishnodevi because the little girl was different from other kids. She was very possessive of her Mummy Aunty and would be at our home at the exact time of pooja.

Dolly would say that she had 3 houses – one was her parents’, the second was her maternal grandparents’ called Nani House and the third was our house called Mummy Aunty’s house.

To be continued…