Renu,
re your post # 7,
I see no harm in Barbie or even yendhiran in the kolu or even a galaxy of our movie stars from sivaji till surya or srividya to vidyabalan.
When I was growing up, apart from the deities, popular were chettiar stores, village scenes including railway stations.
Some more creative people, used to construct a little dam, pump up the water with a mini motor, have a flowing stream with boat traffic and what not! Real creative.
Later came meccano sets, lego sets and sometimes fancy science kits.
I think, the spirit of golu is more a social occasion, eat some sundal and keep an array of entertaining dolls or structures.
There was one man in my street, so involved in his wife’s golu (no daughters in this household), that each year he used to build elaborate structures like a small village, city, railway station or even a school to the miniaturest detail. Real fun to watch and comment, that even older males used to visit.
