A golu at SPR City in Perambur, reported at 47.8 feet tall with over 4,500 dolls, is attempting a world record this Navaratri and is open to visitors from 11 to 20 October, DT Next reported. The organisers have approached the World Book of Records, London, and any recognition is subject to official verification. That leaves only a few days to see it: Ayudha Pooja falls on Monday, 19 October, as the state noted in its festival transport announcement, and Vijayadasami follows on Tuesday, 20 October.
The record attempt is the biggest version of something that happens in thousands of Chennai homes every year. Here is what a golu is, why it is arranged the way it is, and where to see the season at its liveliest.
What a golu is
Golu, or bommai golu in Tamil, is a display of dolls set up for the nine nights of Navaratri. Families build a stepped platform, usually with an odd number of tiers such as five, seven or nine, cover it with cloth and arrange dolls on it, deities at the top and everyday life lower down. Similar doll displays are kept in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka at the same time of year.
The nine nights are commonly divided into three sets of three, honouring Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati in turn. On the ninth day, Saraswati Pooja, books and musical instruments are placed before the goddess, and the same day is Ayudha Pooja, when tools, vehicles and machines are cleaned and worshipped. Vijayadasami, the tenth day, is considered auspicious for starting lessons, which is why many Chennai schools of music and dance take in new students that morning.
How a golu is arranged
- The steps: an odd number of tiers, often made from planks or ready-made metal stands sold in Mylapore and T. Nagar.
- The top tier: gods and goddesses, often with a kalasam, the ritual pot.
- The middle and lower tiers: saints, wedding processions, village scenes, festivals, cricket teams, freedom fighters and, these days, the occasional superhero.
- The marapachi pair: a carved wooden bride and groom, often given to a woman by her family when she marries, dressed afresh each year and placed with care.
- Themed parks: many homes add a small “park” on the floor in front, with sand, sown seeds that sprout through the week, and model temples or train tracks.
Some families make their own dolls. In Kodungaiyur, a 55-year-old homemaker named Amutha has crafted about 108 dolls from white cement, painting faces, clothes and jewellery herself, and built a miniature wedding hall out of cardboard and fabric.
Visiting golus and what to expect
Golu is a social festival. In the evenings, women invite neighbours, friends and relatives to see the display. Guests are usually given thamboolam, a small packet with betel leaves, turmeric, kumkum, a fruit or a small gift, and a portion of sundal, the boiled-legume snack made with a different lentil or chickpea each day. Children are often asked to sing a song or recite a verse before the gifts are handed out.
If you are invited, arrive at the time suggested, leave footwear outside, admire the theme properly (the family has usually spent days on it) and do not touch the dolls.
Where to see the season in Chennai
The traditional doll bazaar is on the streets around the Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore, where temporary stalls sell clay and papier-mache dolls, steps and decorations in the weeks before Navaratri. This year the stalls on North and South Mada Streets have squeezed traffic, with metro construction nearby adding to the congestion, and residents have asked for traffic police on both streets until the festival ends. If you are going, take the MRTS to Mylapore (Thirumayilai) station or an auto rather than driving in.
Many temples set up golus too, and housing complexes increasingly hold community displays. The Perambur record attempt is open until 20 October; the report did not give visiting hours or an entry fee, so check locally before travelling. Expect crowds and monsoon showers in the evenings, since the northeast monsoon set in over Tamil Nadu on 15 October.
After Vijayadasami
On the evening of Vijayadasami, many families symbolically lay one doll down to “sleep”, shift the kalasam slightly and give thanks. The steps come down over the next day or two and the dolls are wrapped and stored until next year. Clay dolls chip easily, so pack them in newspaper or cloth in a dry place; Chennai’s monsoon humidity is hard on painted figures. Dolls that are broken beyond repair are traditionally not thrown out with household waste; many families immerse clay figures in water or leave them under a tree.
Quick answers
When does Navaratri 2026 end in Tamil Nadu?
Ayudha Pooja is on Monday, 19 October, and Vijayadasami on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
How tall is the Perambur record-attempt golu?
It was reported at 47.8 feet with over 4,500 dolls, on display at SPR City until 20 October. Record recognition is subject to verification.
Why does a golu have an odd number of steps?
Tradition favours odd numbers, usually from three to eleven tiers, with deities placed on the top step.
Where can I buy golu dolls in Chennai?
The Mada streets around Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore are the best-known bazaar.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- SPR City attempts world record with 47.8-foot Golu (DT Next, 13 Oct 2026)
- Chennai: Golu stalls choke traffic on Mada Streets (DT Next, Oct 2026)
- Chennai homemaker crafts 108 handmade dolls for Navaratri golu (DT Next, 15 Oct 2026)
- Tamil Nadu announces temporary bus terminals, special services for Ayudha Pooja, Deepavali rush (DT Next, 13 Oct 2026)
