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Gangaur Festival
Celebrated in : All Over Rajasthan.
Deity : Consort of Lord Shiva
In the month of : March - April
The
Gangaur Festival is the most important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed
throughout the state with great fervour and devotion by womenfolk who worship
Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva.
Gan is a synonym for Shiva and Gaur, which stands for Gauri or Parvati who symbolises
'saubhagya' (marital bliss). Gauri is the embodiment of perfection and conjugal
love, which is why the unmarried women worship her for being blessed with good
husbands, while married women do so for the welfare, health and long life of
their spouses and a happy married and long life of their life.
Rites and Ritual
The festival commences on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi and
continues for 18 days. For a newly-wedded girl, it is binding to observe the
full course of 18 days of the festival that succeeds her marriage. Even unmarried
girls fast for the full period of 18 days and eat only one meal a day.
Images and Paintings
Images of Isar and Gauri are made of clay for the festival. In some families,
permanent wooden images are painted afresh every year by reputed painters called
'matherans' on the eve of the festival. A distinct difference between the idols
of Teej and Gangaur is that the idol will have a canopy during the Teej Festival
while the Gangaur idol would not have one.
Mehandi
The
ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing designs with 'mehandi' (myrtle
paste). The figures drawn range from the Sun, Moon and the stars to simple flowers
or geometrical designs.
Ghudlia
Ghudlias are earthen pots with numerous holes all around and a lamp lit inside
them. On the evening of the 7th day after Holi, unmarried girls go around singing
songs of 'ghudlia' carrying the pots with a burning lamp inside, on their heads.
On their way, they collect small presents of cash, sweets, jaggery, ghee, oil
etc. This continues for 10 days i.e. upto the conclusion of the Gangaur Festival
when the girls break their pots and throw the debris into a well or a tank and
enjoy a feast with the collections made.
This ritual is performed on the occasion of Gangaur as a reminder of the triumph
of Rao Santhal, ruler of Jodhpur, over Mir Ghudley Khan, who had carried away
140 maidens who were celebrating the festival of Gangaur, in 1548 AD. The burning
lamp signifies the valour and chivalry of the Maharaja.
Gauri's Departure
The
festival reaches its climax during the last three days. The images of Gauri
and Isar are dressed in new garments especially made for the occasion. Unmarried
girls and married women decorate the images and make them look like living figures.
At an auspicious hour in the afternoon, a procession is taken out to a garden,
tank or a well with the images of Isar and Gauri, placed on the heads of married
women. Songs are sung about the departure of Gauri to her husband's house. The
procession comes back after offering water to the image of Gauri, which faces
backwards on the first two days. On the final day, she faces in the same direction
as Isar and the procession concludes with the consignment of all the images
in the waters of a tank or a well. The women bid farewell to Gauri and turn
their steps homewards with tears in their eyes and the Gangaur Festival comes
to an end.
GANGAUR FESTIVITIES AT VARIOUS PLACES:
Bikaner
In Bikaner, married women and maidens fast during the festival. They prepare
sweet dishes, carry them to a well, make an offering thereof to the goddess,
and return home distributing these as 'prasad' on the way.
Jaipur
In
Jaipur, a sweet dish called 'ghewar' is characteristic of the Gangaur Festival.
People buy 'ghewar' to eat and distribute it among their friends and relatives.
A procession, with the image of Gauri, forms at the Palace Gate known as Tripolia
and moves on the city streets passing Chaugan and on to Talkatora. A vast gathering
of the citizens of Jaipur and villagers from nearby areas witnesses the procession.
Jodhpur
The fair of 'lotias' is a distinctive feature of the Gangaur celebrations
in Jodhpur. Early in the morning, thousands of maidens, clad in their best
attire, singing melodious songs, bring water and 'durva' grass in silver or
brass pots to a place known as Girdikot. The fair is witnessed by a large
number of citizens who throng to the locality to be a part of the celebration.
Nathdwara
In Nathdwara, the procession of Gangaur lasts 7 days. Each day, a particular
colour is chosen for the dress of the goddess. On the last day of the festival,
the image of Gauri is dressed in black with golden lace work and women carrying
the image too are dressed in a similar fashion. This indicates the final departure
of Gauri.
Udaipur
The images of Isar and Gauri are taken in a procession to the Pichhola Lake,
thereafter they go around the lake in a boat, for an hour and the ceremony
comes to an end with a display of fireworks on the banks
Banswara
In Banswara, the procession is taken out from the Zenana Deorhi to Singhvashi
Chowk, both are areas within the palace compound. Traditional religious ceremonies
are performed here.
Gangaur among the Girasias :
The
Girasia tribe, who live in Sirohi-Mount Abu region, celebrate Gangaur as a continuation
of festivities from Holi to Akshaya Tritiya - lasting for more than a month.
They go from village to village singing, dancing and extending invitations while
carrying the images of Gangaur. The images are brought back to the village from
where they started. During the festival, eligible boys and girls of the tribe
select their life partners and elope with them. This form of marriage has the
sanction of the community.
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