Gangaur festival
This festival is dedicated to Gauri, a manifestation
of Goddess Parvati; consort of Lord Shiva, which commences
on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi
and lasts for eighteen days. Gangaur Festival is the
most important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed
throughout the state with great fervour. Girls and married
women throughout Rajasthan celebrate the festival. The
images of Gauri are ornamented and offerings are made.
There wouldn't be a better time to travel to Rajasthan
than during festival time. The most important local
festival in Rajasthan, Gangaur is held about a fortnight
after Holi, the festival of colours, and the celebrations
go on for eighteen days. The festival is held in honor
of Gauri, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati, the wife
of Lord Shiva. Images of Gauri are ornamented and offerings
are made. This is also an auspicious time for young
people to select their life partners. Colorful processions
with the town band, horses, and elaborate palanquins
make it a fascinating spectacle.
The Gangaur Festival is celebrated throughout Rajasthan
with great enthusiasm but the celebrations in Jaipur
and Udaipur have their own special charm. The festival
is also celebrated with great pomp and show in Bikaner,
Jodhpur, Marathwara and Jaisalmer. Girls worship the
goddess throughout the fortnight. Colorful images of
Gauri, beautifully dressed and bejeweled, are taken
out in a procession accompanied by the town band.
A boat procession is taken out on the Pichola Lake
in Udaipur. Women balancing several brass pitchers on
their heads add to the gaiety of the Udaipur celebrations.
Thousands of people from the countryside come to take
part in the procession of Gangaur, which goes around
from village to village. Tribal men and women get the
opportunity to meet and interact freely and during this
time, they select partners and elope to marry. An unusual,
romantic custom sanctioned by the community, it helps
many young people find their life partner..
The festival commences on the first day of Chaitra,
the day following Holi and continues for 18 days. For
a new bride, it is binding to observe all the rituals
and fasts specified for the 18 days of the first Gangaur
after her marriage. Even unmarried girls fast for the
full period of 18 days 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.
Celebrated all over Rajasthan, the Gangaur Festival
offers a colourful insight into the culture of Rajasthan.
So, embark on a Rajasthan tour to experience a world
of colours and festivities
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