Green Navaratri golu

Hello folks, I am writing to you in the Midst of Navaratri kolu – the  nine day festival of dolls. Every year I pick a theme and set up elaborate arrangements based on it. The previous year’s themes include – Story, Heaven, Light, and vishwaroopam.

My life has been super hectic and super chaotic for the last two months. Apart from making and selling the Patinam collection, I was organising and documenting three different events as college. This is in addition to my usual 26 teaching hours a week. Naturally, my personal life went for a toss. I did not have time to think of an interesting theme and research for ideas. So one day I sat in my living room, frustrated and uninspired when I had a light bulb moment for the theme. Guess what inspired me? My Walls! My beautiful green walls.

Navratri 2017 Theme – Green

The word green comes from ǵʰelh which means gold. The sankrit word for Green is ‘Haritha’ which also refers to a yellow form of green. Examining the word Haritha you find is ‘Hari’ – which refers to Lord Vishnu. Shortening of Hari is ‘Har(a)’ which refers to Lord Shiva. Hartalika refers to Shakti and the puja done by women in western India to be blessed with a good husband. The above three Gods and Godess represent the three fractions of Hindium – Vaishvam, Saivam, and Shaktam which brings us to the word ‘Har’ which means every one or everything.

Colour as a concept

All of us reacts to colors physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. These reactions can be referred to as colour psychology. I have chosen to depict around 27 different aspects of green to create a Royal Atmosphere this Navratri. As navratri is a religious festival, I have tried to compare the various aspects of green with relevant examples of Hindu mythology. It is slightly long and complex so I’ll try to break  the entire display down into points.

1. 1. 1. Wealth & Prosperity – Green Currency bills, Upward arrow in Stock exchange – Ashtalakshmi
      2. Growth, change & Evolution – Germination of a seed to become a sapling and eventually a tree – best explained through the mythical evolution of Dasavathar of Vishnu – from a one sense fish to a super human
      3. New Beginning – Aal Elai Krishna (Baby Krishna floating on a banyan leaf during the great flood) – symbol of spiritual understanding and pursuit of materialistic possessions can lead to a successful beginning
      4. Desire – In Hinduism green is linked to desire through Kama dev and Kamakshi – Desire is pertinent to the functioning of this world as want makes us work towards achieving our goals
      5. Auspiciousness – Green sarees, green bangles, green plants and leaves (mango leaves, betel leaves and Banana plant) are considered auspicious in India
      6. Holy – Plants like Tulsi and trees like Neem and banyan
         

          

      7. Natural – Green symbolises all things natural, organic and nutritious like green vegetables, herbs
      8. Healing – naturally the herbs and veggies promote healing. Green is the colour of Ayurveda
      9. Heart – The heart Chakra (in healing) is green and Emerald worn at the chest is said to promote healing, desire and strength
      10. Strength and Vitality – denoted by the warrior Goddess Meenakshi (and Arrianrhod) and also Hanuman the monkey God. ( We have depicted an interesting story about Rama and Hanuman which shows why and how banana leaves got the line in middle
      11. Calmness, serenity and coolness – Lord Rama and Hanuman – personification of calmness
      12. Knowledge – Green is the colour of knowledge in ancient universities. Poetess saint Andal with her parrot and green attire personifies the desire for knowledge
      13. Camouflage and defense – Army uniforms and armoured trucks
      14. Technology – Green screen technology and the movie Matrix

Fertility & Prosperity

Life can be prosperous only when the land is fertile goes an old saying. Green is the colour of life, Rejuvenation, renewal and restoration. This meaning of colour green is present is several religions.

• Hinduism – Kamakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi
• Buddhism – Green Tara
• Pagan religions – Green Man
• Islam – Al Khidir
• Christianity – Christmas tree (Evergreen tree)

Negative connotations of Green

• Envy, Jealousy – Green eyed Goblin
• Poison, sickness

Neutrality & Duality of Green

Green is neither a female nor male colour nor it is overtly positive or negative but both. This neutrality and duality is depicted by the genderless Budh (Planet Mercury) who rides the mythical Yazhi. This duality of green is also depicted in pop culture through characters like Hulk, Peter pan, Tinkerbell, and Poison Ivy.

Green in Fashion

The Pantone color of the year 2017 is greenery. The Dyers of Tamil Nadu are truly talented in bringing out several shades of green like leaf green, sap green, ginger green, peacock green, and Manthalir (reddish green of a mango sapling) in silk sarees of Kancheepuram and Arani.

Reduce, reuse and recycle

Green is the symbol of environment and it is or duty to keep it safe, clean and green for the future. This can be done through organic composting, using clean energy like solar power, car pooling and by planting trees. They help keep the Air cleans and Clean air means Beautiful Homes Chennai has lost most of its green cover due to the floods and cyclone in the last two years. So let us plant trees, plants or atleast create terrariums and surround ourselves with green.  It is our duty to head the call of the Indian government for “Swachh Sanklap se siddhi” and keep our environment clean and green – so that we might healthy, wealthy and wise now and forever.

That was the summary of this year’s theme. I would to hear your feedback. So tell me in the comments if you like green and why and yes how do you like my golu?

I hope you find it interesting

Cheers

 

 

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