Vibrant celebration: Dr Jeyashree (left) lighting up the kutuvilaku while Kannan (right) and Chudamani (centre) arrange some of the dolls and figurines on the gollu display in conjunction with the Navarathiri festival themed ‘Night of Rhythm and Devotion’ at their house in Batu Lanchang. On the right is a miniature diorama of the holy Tiruvannamalai Hill and Girivalam route in India. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: For the past 34 years, Datuk Dr S. Jeyashree’s home has come alive every Navarathiri festival with her much-awaited gollu display, with some unique diorama models.
Even more specially, there are also diorama models which are crafted from scratch by hand.
The gollu is a thematic display of dolls and figurines arranged on tiered steps, done annually during the nine-day Navarathiri festival, dedicated to nine avatars of the Goddess Durga and her victory over evil.
This year, Dr Jeyashree chose the “Tiruvannamalai Temple” theme for the diorama, which highlights the “Girivalam” or pilgrimage route around the 14km Tiruvanamalai Hill in India.
Besides the tiered steps, she also painstakingly crafted using paper mache the rocky contours of the hill, with layered strips of paper over a wire and cardboard base.
“I then painted the surface in shades of brown and green to mimic the natural landscape,” she shared.
Intricate details such as the eight Lingams along the Girivalam path and other smaller temples were also placed on the models.
She also listed out each main element, explaining the three-dimensional scene, historical context and specific items in the model.
It took Dr Jeyashree, who is married to IT consultant S. Kannan, 61, about three weeks to complete her work.
Dr Jeyashree, who has collected more than 5,000 dolls and figurines, all sourced from India, said that over the years, she has also featured diorama models of other famous temples in India.
Some of the dolls were also handed down to her by her mother-in-law S. Chudamani, 91, who brought them from India.
Each year, though, she can only showcase about a hundred dolls and figurines on her seven-tiered gollu stand.
“My storeroom is now almost overflowing with figurines. I have also passed on some dolls to my daughter-in-law in Seattle, United States, and my daughter in the UK. I feel proud that both of them are carrying on the tradition in their own homes, celebrating the festival with their friends abroad,” she said when met at her Batu Lanchang residence.
The theme for Dr Jeyashree’s Navarathiri celebration this year is “Night of Rhythm and Devotion”.
“Each year I choose a different theme and I also change the dolls and figurines on the gollu to ensure the display is always fresh and meaningful,” she added.
The oldest figurine she has is the one of Lord Krishna, which is 61 years old, while her collection also includes rare pieces such as Sammohana Krishna, Andal Rangamannar Sayana Thirukolam, Nithya Kalyana Perumal Thiruvidanthai, Kalinga Narthana Krishna and Thirumohur Chakrathalzhvaar, among others.
“The celebrations begin on the eve of Navarathiri when the gollu is set up, and continue until the day after Vijayadashami, which is the last day of the festival. Then, the display is respectfully taken down,” she said.
During the nine-day festival which ends on Thursday, guests flock to Dr Jeyashree’s home to pray, admire the display and enjoy the warm hospitality.
They also enjoy homecooked vegetarian meals and Indian sweetmeats, and are even presented with gifts like sarees, blouses, coconuts and other gifts.
The atmosphere is further enlivened with dancing and bhajan singing, making it both a visual feast and a soulful celebration.
