This is my fourth year celebrating Navaratri with Bomma Golu, also known as the “Court of Dolls”, where dolls and figurines depicting court life, everyday scenes, and divine settings are displayed in the presence of the Goddesses.
In South India, a special set of dolls called Marapacchi Bommai is traditionally gifted by parents to a newly married bride as part of her wedding trousseau. This marks the beginning of the annual Navaratri Golu tradition in her new home. These wooden dolls are presented as a couple dressed in wedding attire, symbolizing prosperity, fertility, and the start of the bride’s Golu collection.
Golu bommais are often passed down from one generation to the next as treasured heirlooms. During Navaratri evenings, women gather in each other’s homes to exchange gifts and sweets, along with haldi and kumkum, and enjoy sundal—protein-rich stir-fries made using chickpeas, peanuts, white beans, white peas, and more.
Here’s a picture of our Golu this year.
On the fourth day of Navaratri, we worship Devi Kushmanda, the cosmic egg and the Creator of the Universe. A friend shared this thought with me, which I absolutely loved:
Do check out @madetolovemagic on Instagram for more insights on worshipping Goddess Kushmanda and understanding her qualities. Also, don’t forget to print the relevant Yantra coloring sheet from @miradiwanikrishnan’s blog, Loving Kali.
Devi Prasadam for Day 4
- Badam Kheer
- Bisi Bele Bhath
- Kala Chana Sundal
Recipe for Badam Kheer
(From the Chitra Viswanathan app)
Ingredients
- Milk or almond milk – ½ liter
- Almonds – 30
- Sugar – ½ cup
- Water – 1½ cups
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Saffron – a few strands
- Chopped almond slivers and cashews, roasted in ghee (optional)
Method
Soak the almonds overnight. If short on time, soak them in hot water for about an hour.
Peel the almonds and grind them with ½ cup water into a smooth paste.
Boil the milk on the stovetop or microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Add the almond paste and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, or microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Add the sugar and simmer again for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cardamom powder, saffron, and chopped nuts.
Refrigerate to cool; this also helps the kheer thicken to the right consistency.
Recipe for Bisi Bele Bhath
(No onion, no garlic, OPOS-style version)
Ingredients
- Rice – ½ cup
- Tuvar dal – ½ cup
- Roasted dry coconut – 3 tbsp
- Sambar powder – 1 tsp
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Jaggery – a pinch (optional)
- Turmeric – ¼ tsp
- Asafetida – ¼ tsp
- Tamarind pulp – 1 tbsp
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
- Water – 3 cups
Method
Take a 2-liter stainless steel pressure cooker.
Layer the ingredients in order, adding ghee at the bottom if preferred.
Cook on high heat for 8 whistles or about 10 minutes.
Allow the pressure to settle, then open the lid and add 1 cup cold water.
Mix well and garnish with ghee and chopped cashews.
Recipe for Kala Chana Sundal
Ingredients
- Black chana (kala chana) – 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Baking soda – a pinch
- Tamarind paste – 1 tsp
To Roast and Grind
- Coriander seeds – 2 tsp
- Dry red chilies – 3–4
- Asafetida – ¼ tsp
To Temper
- Oil – 2 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Curry leaves – a few
Method
Soak the chana overnight in cold water with a pinch of baking soda, ensuring there is enough water to fully cover them.
The next day, pressure cook the chana with salt for 3 whistles on medium heat. Drain and set aside.
Dry-roast and grind the ingredients listed for the spice powder. Mix in the tamarind paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add the tempering ingredients.
Add the spice powder, followed by the cooked chana, and mix well.
Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
