About Gangaur Festival
Gangaur is an extremely important festival of Rajasthan.Gangaur Festival is dedicated to Gauri,a manifestation of Goddesh Parvati: , consort of Lord Shiva.It commences on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi and lasts for eighteen days.Gangaur Festival is the important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour.Girls and married women in Rajasthan celebrate the festival and unmarried women worship the Goddess for being blessed with good husband. The images of Gauri are ornamented and offerings are made.This also an auspicious time for young people to select their life partners.Goddesh Parvati is the symbol of virtue and fidelity and exemplifies all the qualities of a good wife.The world 'Gangaur' signifies Lord Shiva and Parvati together.It is believed that during Gangaur , goddess Parvati had returned to her parental home to bless her friends with marital bliss.On the last day of her stay, she was given a grand farewell by her loved once.Shiva himself arrived to escort his bride, Gauri, home.Gangaur Festival also celebrates monsoon, harvest and marital fidelity.Gangaur Festival Rituls
The festival rituals commence the day after Holi.Foe a new bride, it is mandatory to observe all the rituls and fasts specified for the eighteen days of the first Gangaur after her marriage.Even unmarried girls fast for the entire period and eat only one meal a day in the hope of finding a good husband.Girls dress up in their finest clothes and pray for a spouse of their choice, while married women do the same for the happiness and long life of their husbands.
In Jaipur , asweet dish called ghewar is characteristic of this festival.People relish it and distribute it among their friends and relatives.A procession, carrying the image of Gauri, forms from the palace gate known as Tripolia and moves on the city streets passing Chaugan and on to Talkatora.
Ganguar Festival History
Parvati or Gauri, the consort of Shiva is a symbol of virtue and devotion and considered a legendary figure for married women. The festival is held in her honour.
Gangaur is the most important local festival in Rajasthan and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. The common belief associated with the festival is that if unmarried girls observe the rituals of this festival they get a nice life partner of their choice. And if the married women observe the same, she is said to be blessed with a happy married life and long life of their husbands. The celebrations in Jaipur and Udaipur have a unique charm and attraction.
The celebrations begins almost a fortnight before the main day of the festival. Girls worship the goddess all through the fortnight before the main event day. A group of women from the town hold a procession and carry colorful idols of Gauri. Many people from nearby villages too come to take part in the procession and roam around with them from village to village.
A sense of romance is felt in the atmosphere as the occasion also gives an opportunity to tribal men and women to come in contact with each other, to meet and interact freely; this help them to select partners of their choice and marrying by eloping. It is the unique thing about this festival.
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Ganguar Festival Pictures
