Every year, as I set up our Golu display, I’m struck by how it melds the old with the new, the traditional with the playful, and the deeply emotional with the joyfully lighthearted. It’s more than just an arrangement of dolls; it’s like squeezing everything I love into 24 square feet of space. Our Golu is a living, multi-tiered narrative that blends mythology, family history, creativity, and a good dose of fun, and this year’s theme was Kamala by the Riverside!

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A Golu that Reflects Life, Love, and Laughter

For me, Navaratri has never been solely about religion or culture. It’s always been a reflection of what’s happening in the world and in our lives. Over the years, we’ve done everything from re-enacting Draupadi’s ‘vastraharan’ in the Mahabharata to indulging my son’s Harry Potter phase and my daughter’s brief princess-y one through a medley-world setup. Nothing is off-limits when it comes to blending the traditional with the contemporary.

This year, though, was different. My mom’s first death anniversary fell on October 7th, and I found myself hesitant about going ahead with the Golu. I thought about keeping it small, simple. But as the days passed, something shifted in me.

While I wasn’t sure if my heart was ready for the festive setup, I also wondered: could I channel my grief into something celebratory? And in the quiet moments, I realized that this tradition was a living tribute to her, a way to keep her spirit alive through the dolls, stories, and memories.

Plus, my love for this festival comes from my mom herself. It was her passion, and it’s something she passed down to me. Then, it’s a tradition that my family enjoys, one that our friends look forward to visiting every year to see what creative twists we come up with. And finally, as these things often happen, in the middle of a late-night brainstorming session, an idea popped into my head that I just couldn’t resist. My husband added his own fun, clever touches, and before I knew it, we were fully committed to bringing our Golu to life once again.

The theme? Kamala by the Riverside

“Kamala by the Riverside.” It was one of those midnight sparks of inspiration. The riverside element was inspired by my youngest, who’s now a college freshman. As for Kamala? Well, there was the obvious connection to the Presidential candidate, but also to the lotus— that symbolizes beauty and resilience. And somehow, Kamala by the riverside just felt like the perfect flow.

I should add, our Golu themes are never about political affiliations or trying to start debates. They’re simply reflections of current events—whether from the world or from within our home—and we love weaving those into our displays.

As always, the theme is just the starting point. Now, it’s time to bring it all together.

Next Up, Ideation

Next comes the ideation phase. And I tried to come up with ideas with the end in mind – where our golu is the mix of all that I mentioned earlier.

A step or more is usually dedicated to gods and goddesses, with my favorite goddess Saraswathi definitely taking her space. Another step might showcase mythological stories or dolls passed down from my parents and grandparents, the ones that show their age with chipped corners and faded paint but are irreplaceable in their sentimental value. And of course, we’ll weave the theme in somehow, somewhere!

This year’s theme, “Kamala by the Riverside,” had a clear starting point. I already had a backdrop from a few years ago that fit perfectly, and the diorama that makes its appearance every year was a natural fit for the riverside scene I wanted to create. Incorporating lotus flowers—symbolic of Kamala—into the diorama was an easy decision, and I planned to do it in a couple of creative ways to really bring the theme to life.

But the central display? That was where things got interesting. I thought of a lotus-shaped arrangement for the main display, which meant abandoning my usual pre-made Golu steps. I thought about getting a semi-circular plant stand but then what would I use it for later? So this year, I had to go back to basics, improvising with boxes, furniture, and whatever else I could find to create the tiers. It wasn’t as straightforward as setting up the ready-to-use steps, but the creative challenge was part of the fun.

Bringing “Kamala by the Riverside” to Life

Once the idea of the lotus-shaped display took hold, there was no turning back. I started by gathering the boxes and pieces of furniture that would form the base of the arrangement. Then I played around with their positions until I had a shape that resembled a lotus bloom

Of course the goddesses were at the heart of it. Next came figuring out where the rest of the dolls went, which I placed one by one.

For the “Riverside” part of the theme, I placed the backdrop first. Next came the diorama with additions and adjustments to mimic a riverside. I placed lotuses strategically throughout, symbolizing both the natural beauty of the scene and a hint at the theme.

As the finishing touches came together, the display felt like it was blooming, both figuratively and literally. The lotus shape, the riverside setting, the carefully placed dolls—all of it came together in a way that felt both deeply personal and quirkily worldly.

Unveiling “Kamala by the Riverside”

And so, here it is—our Golu for the year: Kamala by the Riverside! The central display, a lotus-shaped arrangement, is a blend of traditional dolls, with one playful exception on the bottom right step (more on that later). Another smaller set of steps on the left to balance the diorama on the right features more goddesses and some of my favorite cute dolls!

From a look at

The diorama features a serene river flowing through it, flanked by a college watchtower to symbolize the Riverside campus. Ahead, cars are packed tightly on a highway—a not-so-subtle nod to the ever-busy Southern California traffic.

Lotus flowers, part of the Karthikeya set, seamlessly fit into the diorama. They complemented the riverside scene, and added to the theme. On one side, I placed a handmade black lotus—crafted from paper—under a handmade coconut tree. This little touch came from bringing the worldly into the diorama with a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the news. In this case, the presidential candidate and her coconut tree comment from a speech last year that went viral earlier this year!

And how can I forget about the other personal touch? The empty nest! You see, my husband and I are new empty-nesters, and after countless conversations with friends asking about our new status, my husband jokingly suggested we include how we are “renesting” in the Golu. So, I crafted another handmade tree, this time complete with DIY nests(*)—a whimsical nod to this new chapter in our lives.

*note: a post with instructions to follow soon

to the other quirkiness

Now, about that bottom right step—the one that breaks away from tradition. This year, we introduced a light-hearted Pet Protection Program, starring my son’s old superhero action figures. In this scene, the heroes are busy protecting cats and dogs from villains who supposedly have a taste for them. All of this unfolds in front of a strategically placed Tower. And Mars right behind it, a playful nod to space exploration with an Operation Mars Salute theme running through it.

and

With every aspect, we tried to ensure that our Golu brought together the old and the new, mythology and imagination, tradition and quirkiness. As always, it was more than just a display—it was a reflection of our world, our family, and the stories we create together.

The Rest of It

Of course, hosting an event means food and with the golu, it also means a small return gift. Keeping in theme, I picked this brass colored lotus incense burner to be kept along with individual honey-roasted mixed nuts (they are amazing!) in lieu of fruits this time around (and I knew my guests did not have allergies) in colorful paper bags.

For the food, hubby and I came up with a menu including everyone’s favorite – puri with a mixed-vegetable onion-and-garlic-free sagu, a rice dish from Karnataka (vangibath) with the North Indian kadi pakoda to accompany it, the laccha peni (a flaky vermicilli sweet base – think ) with sweetened almond milk, and for a drink, the refreshing very South Indian panakam (typically made with jaggery, lemon juice, cardamom, ginger, and sometimes black peppercorn).

What Matters Most

In the end, what I love most about Golu is its layers, both in the physical display and in the memories it evokes. Every step we add feels like a new chapter, a reflection of the times we’ve lived through. The older dolls, those vintage clay figures, bring a timeless charm, while newer ones remind us that there’s always room for innovation alongside tradition.

But the real magic happens in the conversations our Golu sparks. “Remember this doll? It’s been part of the display for years!” or “Hey, looks like you gave this one a new spot this time.” It’s in those moments, as people discuss the display and share stories of past festivals, that the old and the new come together in a way that feels just right.

For me, that’s what Golu is all about—a celebration of continuity, creativity, and community, all beautifully intertwined. And I know that my mom would have been happy!