Navratri Golu, Dussehra, is a 10 day long important festival of Hindus.
Navratri, the nine-night festival, honors Goddess Durga and her various forms of Durga. It is known as Bommla Koluvu in Andhra Pradesh and Navarathri in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

According to the Hindu calendar, Navratri begins from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin which usually coincides with the end of the rainy season. And the first day begins on an Ammavasya.

Navratri, the nine-night festival, honors Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswathi in South India. It is known as Bommla Koluvu in Andhra Pradesh and Navarathri in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

South Indians celebrate the nine-night festival by keeping Kolu dolls, in 9 steps or stairs. The steps are created either in iron grills, or in wooden planks and in odd numbers of 3,5,9 and the dolls are decorated.

Kolu – Decorative Ideas, Themes, Tradition
Kolu dolls of religious significance, Gods and Goddess are kept in the decoration of Navratri Kolu, also known as Golu Padi. Dasavatharam set of dolls is the most common deity found. The entire nine steps used to be filled with statues of various gods and goddesses, mostly of Ram, Lakshman, Sita, Hanuman, and the statues of Goddess like Lakshmi, Saraswathi.

Kolu is the artistic display of dolls by Women during Navarathri and Dussehra in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and among certain communities in Kerala. In 2010, Navaratri begins on October 8. The dolls, called Kollu or Golu, represents the durbar or assembly of Goddess Durga.

Many ideas and themes are used for the Golu and decoration is widely, appreciated and are even awarded prizes based on the decoration and theme used for the Golu and the magnanimity.

Navratri Golu Steps, Kolu Dolls and its significance
Each locality and area in and across Tamilnadu even organizes associations which nominates the award to the best Kolu decorated in the locality.

The topmost three steps are dedicated to various gods and goddesses. In some areas, people place a ‘Purna Kumbham’ on the topmost step.

The next three steps 4, 5, 6 are dedicated to Gurus, saints, religious personalities and other highly respected figures in the country and world.

The seventh step is dedicated to various social activities and festivals. People depict marriages and important festivals in this step.

Business, crafts and other economic activities are depicted in the eighth step. Women creatively depict a buzzing market place, parks, hospitals, with small dolls and decorate it with lights and sound.

The ninth step is dedicated to dolls made of wood. Dolls of Men, women, children, animals and birds are placed in this step, Chettiyar doll with vegetables and fruits made of wax are also part of the Navratri Golu.

During Navratri Kolu, the entire neighborhood, friends and relatives gather in a house and sing bhajans, religious songs dedicated to Goddess Durga. Children get dressed in various forms of God, like Radha, Krishna.

These children during the evenings, go out in the neighborhood and relatives's house and invite them for their house to see the Kolu. In south, Navratri is the time where Sundal is made, each day signifies each type of Sundal and is distributed to the guests who visit the house. Even special sweets are prepared during the period.

On the ninth day, the dolls are made to sleep and on the Vijayadashami day (the tenth day), the dolls are taken out. The ninth day which is celebrated as Sarawathi Pooja or Ayutha Pooja, where all crafty items like books, tools, laptops, vehicles are kept for Pooja, worship Goddess Sarawathi and then the next day they are taken out.

Dusshera Festival
Dussehra or Dasara Festival is a very popular holy festival of Hindu peoples in India.  Dussehra is celebrated all over India to mark the homecoming of Lord Rama. This festival is celebrated as a triumph of the good over the evil. This festival is celebrated for nine consecutive days in praise of Lord Rama and his victory over the demon Ravana.

During these nine days, the Ramlila, an enactment is made on the various episodes of the life of Lord Rama and there is continuous chanting from the great epic Ramayana. On the tenth day, the Lord Rama killed the demon Ravana, the abductor of his beloved Sita.

On Dussehra, larger than life effigies of Ravana, his brothers Meghnath and Kumbhkarna filled with different fire crackers are set alight to celebrate the victory of good over evil. In Himachal Pradesh, a week long fair is held at Kullu during the Dussehra festival. From the little temples in the hills, the deity of Lord Raghunathji is brought in procession to the Kullu Maidan with lot of gaiety, music and color.

On this day the Mysore Palace in Mysore is also illuminated with lights. Majestic processions, a torch lights parade and dance and musical events enliven the tranquil city. In West Bengal, the decorated idols of goddess Durga which were worshiped for nine days are taken out in huge procession and immersed in tanks, rivers or sea. Vijayadasami or Dussehra falls on the   17th of October 2010.

Day 2: Grey color. The Goddess of second day in Navratri will be dressed in Grey colored saree. Second Day of Durga Navaratri, 2010 called as Preethi Dwitiya (Preeti Vidiya), Ashwin Shukla Dwitiya that falls on the 9th of October 2010.

Day 3 : Pink color. The Goddess of third day in Navratri will be dressed in Pink colored saree. Third Day of Durga Navaratri known as Sthana Vriddhi Gauri Vrata, Ashwin Masa Shudda Tritiya (Aswayuja Shukla Thadiya), that falls on the 10th of October 2010.

Day 4 : White color. The Goddess on fourth day of Navratri will be dressed in White colored saree. Fourth Day of Durga Saran Navaratri 2010 known as Bhouma Chaturthi, Ashwin Masa Shudda Chaturthi (Ashwayuja Shukla Chavithi) that falls on the 11th of October 2010.

Day 5 : Red color. On the fifth day in Navratri Goddess Durga will be dressed in Red colored saree. Fifth Day of Durga Saran Navaratri, 2010 also known as Upang Lalitha Gauri Vrata (Sri Lalitha Panchami or Maha Panchami), Ashwin Shudda Panchami that falls on 12th October 2010.

Day 6 : Blue color. On the sixth day of Navratri Goddess Durga will be dressed in Blue colored saree. Sixth Day of Durga Navaratri 2010 also called Maha Sashti, Ashwin Shudda Sashti, Ashwin Shudda Sashti which falls on the 13th October 2010.

Day 7 : Yellow color is used on the 7th day of Navratri and Goddess Durga will be dressed in Yellow colored saree. Seventh Day of Durga Saran Navaratri 2010 also called Maha Saptami, Ashwin Shudda Saptami, Triratra Vrata Aarambha Utsava Puja (Trirathrotsavam) that falls on October 14th 2010.

Day 8 : Violet color is used. The Goddess on the eighth day of Navratri will be dressed in Violet colored saree. Eighth Day of Durga Navaratri 2010 also called as Durga Ashtami (Maha Astami), Ashwin Shudda Astami, Sri Maha Durga Puja, Goddess Saraswati Mata Puja, which falls on the 15th of October 2010.

Day 9 : Peacock Green color is used on the 9th day of Navratri Celebrations. The Goddess on the ninth day of Navratri will be dressed in Peacock colored saree. Ninth Day of Durga Navaratri 2010, also called as Maharnavami Puja (Maha Navami), Suhasini Puja, Ayudha Puja, Kanya Puja or Kumari Puja, Ashwin Shudda Navami which falls on 16th October 2010.

Day 10 : 10th day ends with Red Color. Every year for Vijayadashami celebrations Red color is used. The Goddess of tenth day in Navratri will be dressed in Red colored saree. Tenth Day of Durga Navaratri 2010 also known as Vijaya Dashami (Dussera / Dasara / Dussehra), Mahishasura Vadha,  Ashwin Shudda Dashami that fall son the final 10 day of Navratri Golu/ Kolu on the 17th of October 2010.

Dandiya/ Dhandiya Nights