Gangaur in one of the important Hindu festivals widely celebrated in North India, especially in Rajasthan. It falls on the month of March - April and is celebrated by the women worshipping Lord Shiva and his wife Goddess Gauri. The word ‘Gangaur’ in itself can be described as ‘Gan’ for Lord Shiva and ‘Gaur’ for Goddess Gauri. It is a festival of monsoon and harvest and is celebrated with much pomp and splendor. The date of 2021 Gangaur festival is on 15 April, Thursday. The festival is celebrated as Gauri Tritiya in other parts of India.
How Gangaur Festival is Celebrated
The festival of Gangaur is completely a women’s festival. Goddess Parvati is considered to be the goddess for marital happiness. Usually women worship her for long marriage and welfare and health of their husbands. The festival starts from Holi and lasts for the next 18 days. Women dress up in colourful clothes and take fast for their husband’s welfare and health. Unmarried girls also take fast and have only one meal a day and pray to Goddess Parvathi for husbands of their own choice. It is believed that Lord Shiva and his consort Gauri reunited on this particular day.
As part of the Gangaur Festival celebration, idols are made in clay in both male and female forms which is called ‘Isar’ and ‘Gauri’. Women decorate their hands and feet with Mehendi, drawing some designs that are close to nature. Earthern pots with holes in it have lamps lit inside it. They are called the Ghudilas. On the 7th day evening the unmarried girls take these pots with lighting lamps inside on their head and go around singing. This continues for the next 10 days until the pots are broken. Dressed at their best, the idols of Isar and Gauri are now taken as a procession by the married ladies and it is believed that Gauri is on her way to her husband’s home. The ladies dressed in colourful attire sing departure songs to send Gauri to her husband’s house. The Gangaur festival ritual is completed when the idols of Isar and Gauri are immersed in water. A sweet dish known as ‘ghewar’ is prepared and distributed among the friends and relatives.
Gangaur Festival is also celebrated with all its pomp by a tribal section in Rajasthan called the Girasia tribe where the eligible boys and girls are allowed to select partner of their wish and elope with them with their society’s consent.
How Gangaur Festival is Celebrated
The festival of Gangaur is completely a women’s festival. Goddess Parvati is considered to be the goddess for marital happiness. Usually women worship her for long marriage and welfare and health of their husbands. The festival starts from Holi and lasts for the next 18 days. Women dress up in colourful clothes and take fast for their husband’s welfare and health. Unmarried girls also take fast and have only one meal a day and pray to Goddess Parvathi for husbands of their own choice. It is believed that Lord Shiva and his consort Gauri reunited on this particular day.
As part of the Gangaur Festival celebration, idols are made in clay in both male and female forms which is called ‘Isar’ and ‘Gauri’. Women decorate their hands and feet with Mehendi, drawing some designs that are close to nature. Earthern pots with holes in it have lamps lit inside it. They are called the Ghudilas. On the 7th day evening the unmarried girls take these pots with lighting lamps inside on their head and go around singing. This continues for the next 10 days until the pots are broken. Dressed at their best, the idols of Isar and Gauri are now taken as a procession by the married ladies and it is believed that Gauri is on her way to her husband’s home. The ladies dressed in colourful attire sing departure songs to send Gauri to her husband’s house. The Gangaur festival ritual is completed when the idols of Isar and Gauri are immersed in water. A sweet dish known as ‘ghewar’ is prepared and distributed among the friends and relatives.
Gangaur Festival is also celebrated with all its pomp by a tribal section in Rajasthan called the Girasia tribe where the eligible boys and girls are allowed to select partner of their wish and elope with them with their society’s consent.
Dear Admin
ReplyDeleteI wish I was born in Girasia tribe, do you rout map to visit this tribe, it's very urgent.
Samantha