Om Namah Shivay! It's festival time as Gangaur has arrived. The festivities begin with the onset of Chaitra month and the third day into the Chaitra Navratri is celebrated as Gangaur, also known as Gauri Tritiya. Gangaur puja will be performed on March 24 this year.
The Gangaur festival is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Married women, on this day, observe fast and pray for the wellbeing of their husbands and families. They dress up ethnically for the festival and also apply beautiful henna on their hands.
Significance
The word Gangaur is a combination of two words, i.e. Gan and Gaur. Gan is a synonym for Lord Shiva and Gaur refers Gauri or Goddess Parvati who symbolizes Saubhagya (marital bliss). Scriptures describe Mata Parvati as the cosmic power of the earth who is worshipped along with her divine consort to bless devotees with marital fidelity, childbearing, and harvest.
Vrat Vidhi & Celebration
Women who keep Gangaur Vrat begin preparations right from the day of Holi by collecting ashes from the Holika Dahan. They sow barley or wheat seeds in it and continue watering the pot till it germinates, around 15-18 days.
The day is of great significance in North Indian states, mainly Rajasthan. Procession of idols and puppets resembling the divine couple is carried out with holy chants. The ritual ends with the idols being immersed in a temple pond and the water is sprinkled on devotees.
