Occasions often exceed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navaratri their initial limits. A visit might turn into an outing, an outing may evolve into an event, and an event can develop its own features. The change goes unnoticed until it’s already occurred. Welcome to “A Costume Before The Invitation A Character Before The Visit: When Golu Was Also A Dress Up Stage.”

Adults tend to think in categories. Clothes for this. Clothes for that. Something suitable for the occasion. Something comfortable for the journey. Children have historically been less interested in these distinctions.

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When Golu Was Also A Dress Up Stage : A Costume Before The Invitation A Character Before The Visit

When we were young, Golu evenings had a whole sequence of their own. Mom and aunt would be busy making the sundal for neivedyam, and the house would slowly move into its evening routine. We would get freshened up, wait for aunt to help us get ready and then decide which character we were going to become that day.

Embracing the spirit of Lord Krishna or any other character was not just a delightful option; it stood out among many extravagant fancy-dress ideas! Dressing up transformed into an exhilarating part of the celebration! Once we wore our vibrant costumes, the atmosphere crackled with energy, and the evening burst forth with joy and revelry!

While the adults handled their part, we had another important responsibility. We would all prepare the thamboolam bags to give when people come visiting. There was something very satisfying about getting those little bags ready, knowing that we were going to give them when people visit and return with something entirely different.

Then Came The Actual Expedition, Once Everybody Was Ready : When Golu Was Also A Dress Up Stage

Then came the actual expedition. Once everyone was ready, we would take a bag and head to the neighbours’ houses for Golu. We visited one house after another, looked at their Golu, received thamboolam and sundal, chatted for a while and then moved on to the next house. The neighbourhood itself became part of the Navaratri evening.

And the best part was waiting at home after all that walking. Once we returned, we would open the bags and put all the sundals in one bowl. Different types and flavors from various homes would come together at the end of the evening. Our collection would create a sundal mix, with each house adding something to the final bowl.

Looking back, there was so much happening inside those ordinary evenings. There was cooking, dressing up, packing thamboolam, visiting, carrying bags, collecting sundals and then sitting down to see what everyone had brought home. Nobody needed to design an activity for the children. We were already fully occupied.

The Visiting Itself Also Had A Different Rhythm Then : A Costume Before The Invitation A Character Before The Visit

The visiting itself also had a different rhythm then. We went to the neighbours’ houses every day during Golu. There was no need to find one convenient evening when everyone could come. People lived closer, the neighbourhood was more accessible and dropping in during Navaratri was simply part of how the festival moved from one house to another.

Now life is more scheduled. Families live farther apart, work takes up more time, and children have their own routines, making it hard to find a common evening. Instead of visiting different homes daily, people choose a specific date for everyone to come together. This makes everyone’s coordination easier and more practical with long distances.

The Golu visits have evolved, with houses still adorned beautifully, and the tradition of making sundal and preparing Thamboolam remaining intact. It’s heartwarming to see people yearning for togetherness during Navaratri. However, the once easygoing neighbor visits have become challenging to incorporate into our lives, affecting our connections during these special times.

The Dress Up Tradition Has Changed While It Was Natural Back Then : When Golu Was Also A Dress Up Stage

The dress-up tradition has changed. As children, wearing a Krishna costume or other fancy-dress outfits for Golu was natural. Now, kids don’t seem to dress up for these visits like we as kids used to. They still have many chances to wear costumes, but the link between dressing up and visiting Golu has become less common.

I believe the festival still holds its significance; it has just taken on a new rhythm! What used to happen spontaneously each evening now needs a bit more planning—a date to set, a message to send, and friends coordinating their schedules. The essence is still lively, and with these small changes, we can spark the same excitement in this new experience!

Still, I would do almost anything to recreate those evenings. Not because everything was better then, but because that combination existed only once. Mom and aunt making sundal, us getting dressed, thamboolam bags ready, the walk to neighbors’ houses, the Golu visits, and finally the mixed sundals waiting at home.

The costumes might be gone from the visits. Daily rounds may now happen only occasionally. The neighborhood might not work the same way anymore. But in my mind, I still remember that Navaratri evening when a group of children dressed up, grabbed their bags, and set out to see Golu. For a few weeks each year, that little procession still feels very real.