Navaratri celebrations in Madurai took an unusual turn this year, thanks to an ardent Rajinikanth devotee who turned his festive Golu into a tribute to the Tamil cinema icon. Instead of the customary display of gods and goddesses, Karthik, a long-time fan of the actor, filled his 15-step arrangement with more than 230 figurines of Rajinikanth.
A video shared by ANI shows Karthik performing aarti to a central idol of the superstar, worshipping him as one would a deity. The display, covered with photographs from different stages of Rajinikanth’s career, features dolls of the actor in both his famous film avatars and as divine figures like Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna.
Speaking about his unique celebration, Karthik said, “In celebration of Navaratri this year, we have set up a special golu in the Rajini temple. The golu has been arranged on 15 steps, with the first 10 steps featuring some of the finest photographs of Thalaivar Rajinikanth. We consider Rajinikanth as a deity, which is why we have placed dolls depicting him in the roles of Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna.” He added that it took two months to prepare the display and that “special pujas” will be held every day of the nine-day festival.
For those unfamiliar, Golu is a South Indian tradition during Navaratri where families decorate stepped displays with dolls of gods, goddesses, and mythological figures. In recent years, the practice has also expanded to include modern themes and pop culture tributes.
