India

Sreekanth GS Showcases Over 10,000 Dolls in Thiruvananthapuram’s Largest Navarathri Golu

By Athira M

The residence of Sreekanth GS, also known as Kuttu Veerashaiva, at Sakthi Kripa near Kavaradi Junction in Pettah, Thiruvananthapuram, will host the city’s largest Navarathri Golu from October 12 to 21, from 6 a.m. to midnight. The 1,800‑sq‑ft house, which has been a focal point every Navarathri, will display more than 10,000 items, including dolls and figurines made of clay, wood, brass, bronze, alloy, ceramic, paper‑mache and other materials. The display now extends to the car porch, verandah, drawing room, dining room and terrace.

Sreekanth, 38, said the preparations began two months ago during Onam. He and his brother and cousins assembled the steps for the Golu, but he places each piece himself. The collection grew from his paternal grandmother, the late Gomathi Ambal, who encouraged him to keep the Golu as a treasure. He has collected items from vendors on Telugu Chettiar Street, received gifts and presents at festivals and weddings, and acquired custom pieces during travels in Tamil Nadu.

Sreekanth, an artist with a background in animation, also works as the mukhya karyadarshi (head priest) of the nearby Isakki Amman Kovil and is an astrologer. He first received national attention in 2013 or 2014 when the Golu appeared in a Tamil Nadu daily and later won first prize in regional contests in Thiruvananthapuram. After a period of stepping back from contests, he now focuses on the Golu as a passion.

The display features 25 themes this year, up from nine last year. Themes include Vaishnavalokam (figures related to Lord Vishnu), Guruparampara (saints and teachers such as the Nayanmars), Maavadi Seva (a depiction of Goddess Parvathi praying under a mango tree beside a Siva linga made from sea sand and resin), and others such as Namma Ooru Gramam (vignettes of village life), Sreechakrapeedam, Kailasam (Siva’s abode), Attukal Pongala, and guardian deities like Ugra Pratyangara, Aswarooda Varahi and Varahi Parakramam. The drawing room hosts traditional Golu arrangements with a kalasam, some dolls over 100 years old, and a decorated pooja room with ancestral deities. The dining area showcases brass ware, including brass miniature items and vessels.

Other attractions include Ashta Sastha (nine forms of Lord Ayyappa), various forms of Siva’s tandava, 108 ceramic Ganapathy idols, episodes from the Ramayana, a dedication to Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple and its annual arattu procession, Dussehra festivities at Mysore, and the annual Navarathri procession in Thiruvananthapuram. A marriage set and a whimsical vegetable wedding are also displayed. Sreekanth has crafted several dolls himself, such as Panjurli from the film Kantara, using foam sheet and soft clay, and a figure of the goddess Anandanarthaki draped in sari and adorned with ornaments bought during his travels.

The collection is stored in separate chambers in different rooms, including space under the verandah entrance, a closed sunshade, and under the stairs.

The Golu will be open to the public at Sakthi Kripa, near the Isakki Amman temple, from October 12 to 21, 6 a.m. to midnight. Entry is free. For inquiries, call 9633719955.