Navratri 2026: South India's 'kolu' tradition: An interactive guide

As the Navaratri season begins, people across South India unwrap meticulously packed dolls in preparation for the famed stepped kolu

Arranging dolls on steps might look easy, but for some, the task takes weeks and even months.

After all, rarely does a kolu come without a tale to tell.

For all the tales it can tell, every kolu starts with the same one - that of the celestial durbar .

Since navarathri is essentially a celebration of the Goddess Durga, the kolu , in a sense, is to celebrate her divinity. So, the kolu arrangement is said to mimic a divine court, or durbar , presided over by the Goddess for the nine days of the festival. This court can come in all sizes.

--> Steps can be made of steel, plastic, wood or other materials

A white veshti (traditional South Indian lower wrap) covers the steps