India Inspired family room and Dasara Golu

 Hello and welcome to the season of joy, color and inspiration! 

Dasara and Diwali are around the corner and what better way to celebrate than share festive inspirations right here on Aalayam. Supriya and I have channeled our collective enthusiasm to create an array of seasonally appropriate festive posts! And tonight, we kick off! 

   Our first stop- my (Deepa's) colorful family room! If you are thinking of getting into the festive spirit with a few touches to spruce up the main living area of your house then this post might be just what you are looking for! This is also the next stop on my (Deepa's) home tour. I am sure many of you remember previously featured posts on our son's room, guest room and the media room. If not, stop by and take your time! But now - the family room.

The family room is truly the heart of our home (that's right, move over kitchen!). It is where we talk, laugh, play and grow.  It's the grand central station!  But the high-traffic did not deter us from focusing on the aesthetics. I think we (my husband and I) wanted this room to be a comfortable living and visually stunning space. This is where we entertain our guests too. And so, we pushed the envelope! Moving from the unassuming earth tones of our previous home to the bold, Bollywood-like batch of colors in this room- we did a dramatic 360! We embraced color! Bathed in a myriad hues of teal, purple, green, yellow, gold and more this room greets you with a bohemian charm and on closer look you will see traditional Indian accents layered throughout the space. For now, I am happy but any home decor enthusiast will tell you that home decor is never done and therefore, I see it as work in progress.

This room has good bones - beautiful architectural details, lots of natural light, tall windows and great views of the back yard. We walked into this room and we were sold on the house! That's how much we loved this space to begin with and therefore, making it our own was not hard. 

We pictured a fun and inviting space where we could unwind and exchange stories after a hectic day at work and school and that was our inspiration. The resulting nonconformist look was a happy accident ! Not letting any  particular style stifle our creativity was a great way to go with this space, i guess. We brought in diverse elements, one at a time, purely guided by our instinct - the distressed coffee table, a BG Sharma painting, artisanal candle holders, a handcrafted wool rug and pillows in vibrant hues came together in layers to create this indulgent look. We joke about it and say that we kept adding pieces till it felt right - one little thing here and one little thing there! 

Purple predominates as the accent color. How that came to be, I have no idea! I brought the purple embroidered footstools into the family room last winter to enjoy the warmth of the fire and they have remained there since and this may have very well started a cascade of purple accents slowly trickling into the room. Teal wall and purple accents, who would've thought ? But purple adds punch to this space, don't you think?

Overall, the space is anchored by investment furniture such as the leather sofa, the media credenza, a large coffee table and a seating bench and that's where the bulk of our budget was consumed. I swear by timeless pieces that are durable, versatile and which can withstand a few dings!  We bought the leather sofa about 8 years ago. Not your conventional casual seating, I agree but with the addition of a few colorful pillows, it fits right in!

The space is large and open and planning the seating area was easy. We toyed around with accent chairs before settling on this distressed bench. Together with the kantha and embroidered pillows, the bench gives this corner of the room a "haveli-esque" feel and invties conversation. The golden Buddha plaque adds a paradoxical mix of drama and serenity at the same time!

I love how decor accessories that we have owned for varying lengths of time seem to blend in harmoniously with their newer contemporaries. A recent addition- the ornate trunk merrily shares the space with a Madhubani painting (that I painted) and an intricate wood framed mirror that we have owned for 12 years. A happy marriage of the old and the new brings life to this corner.

This space works for us functionally and aesthetically because it is filled with things we love and cherish.  Indian accessories take center stage and add visual interest to our American home reflecting our multicultural personalities. Our home stands ready to celebrate and make memories this festival season!

Home means different things to different people. To me- it means an oasis! A place where I can enjoy the simple pleasures of life like the warmth of a fire on a crisp autumn evening or a quiet conversation or soulful music with my family. 

 Home is also a place where we bring to life traditions that make us a family and nurture our spirit. And this Dasara, I  am celebrating my first (!) Bombe Habba or Golu and my inspiration ?- Supriya's post on Dasara Bombe Habba from last year!  We prepped for our Golu this weekend and my little boy was an enthusiastic little helper! And here is a peak at what our Golu looks like. 

 Marapachi dolls (Pattada bombe) and channapatna wood lacquered toys are the highlight of our Golu this year. Its a modest first time effort and I had a lot of fun reading up on technicalities and teaching my boy and I look forward to letting our collection evolve over time.

 Dear readers, what is your home story? What does the word "home" mean to you? And how does it play into your lives this festive season. Let's have a conversation. Write to us.

Next up, Supriya tells the story of Dashavathara followed by my post on Diwali decor inspirations - stay with us!

Cheers!
Deepa

P.S: All pictures in this post are from my home and are the copyrighted property of Aalayam. Please ask before using.

Dasara Bombe Habba!

Dasara, also called "Navaratri", is among the most important festivals celebrated in India. The Festival of Dasara is celebrated on the occasion of Navaratri, and the holy day also commemorates the triumph of good over evil.



Dasara "Bombe" or doll arrangement at our house



Forms of celebrations can take on a wide variety of manifestations, ranging from worshipping the goddess Chamundeshwari (Durga) to exhibiting colorful dolls on the day of "Bombe Habba" (festival of miniature idols or dolls).

"Pattada Bombe"..Bride and Groom Doll which is ceremoniously handed over to every Karnataka bride at her wedding



There is a legend related to the exhibition of dolls that is also known as Golu (spelled Kolu in some regions). Since the Goddess Durga needed tremendous power to fight over evil, all other gods and goddesses transferred their power to Goddess Durga and they all stood still as dolls.



"Dashavatara"..The Legion of Hindu Incarnations

To respect the self-sacrifice of these deities during the festival days, Hindus revere dolls that are in shape of particular Gods and Goddesses. Of particular signifiance is the "Dashavatara".  In Hindu philosophy, an Avatar (Sanskrit: अवतार, avatāra), most commonly refers to the 'descent' and daśa refers to 'ten' in number. The "Dashavatara" of Indian mythology can be linked to Darwin's theory of evolution. Here are the incarnations:

Matsya (Fish), Koorma (Turtle), Varaha (Boar), Narasimha (Half-Man, Half-Lion), Vamana (Dwarf), Parashu Rama (Man weilding an axe), Rama (Man, Ruler), Krishna/Bala Rama (Man, Politician), Buddha (Man, Ascetic), Kalki (Man, Destroyer) are all represented and revered as miniature dolls.



Traditional Wedding Scene - Photography by Swathi (Find Swatching You on Facebook)




Traditional Village Scene - Photography by Swathi (Find Swatching You on Facebook)



Dasara is celebrated for 10 days as a salute to the war over evil that lasted 10 days. On the 9th day of Dasara (Saraswati Puja), special pujas are offered to Goddess Saraswati – the divine source of wisdom and enlightenment. Books and musical instruments are placed in the puja and worshipped as a source of knowledge. Also, tools and implements are placed in the pooja as part of "Ayudha Pooja". Vehicles are washed, decorated, and ceremoniously prayed to..I remember washing my scooter and then my car, adorning it with garlands and distributing sweets to all the neighborhood kids on the day of Ayudha Pooja.

The 10th day, "Vijayadasami" – is the most auspicious day of all. It was the day on which evil was finally destroyed by good. It marks a new and prosperous beginning. New ventures started on this day are believed to flourish and bring prosperity.

Festivities on Dasara. Photography by Sripriya (Find Sripriya Murthy Photography on Facebook)

In the evening of "Vijayadasami", any one doll from the "Golu" is symbolically put to sleep to mark the end of that year's Navaratri Kolu. Prayers are offered to thank God for the successful completion of that year's "Bombe Habba" and with a hope of a successful habba the next year...

Aalayam wishes it's readers a gorgeous and prosperous Dasara Bombe Habba!

Love,

Supriya