Gangaur Festival...

Gangaur festival:-

First of all I wish Happy Gangaur to all my rajasthani friends.The gangaur festival of rajasthan is mainly celebrated 2-3rd april of every year in reverence of lord shiva and goddess parvati.It derives its name from the words 'gan'and 'gauri',the former is another name of shiv and the later is indicated to parvati.The festival centers around womens and all the rituals to be followed are observed by them.T he festival is held in the month of 'chaitra'as per the hindu calendra.The festival rituals commence the day after holi.

The festival celebrates the bond of shiva and parvati which gives young girls and boys an occassion to intract with each other.It is an elaborate occassion and there are several myths associated with it. :-collecting ash fronm holika dehan and burrying seeds of wheat and barley init and protecting them by wearing till the seeds germinate.
:-Songs in praise of gangaur.
:-A procession is taken by young girls and all of them place an earthern pot with holes and lamp inside on their heads.
:-The final day of festival sees images of gauri being taken out in a procession accompained by camels,bullock carts,horses,and elephants.The procession is symbolic of return of gauri to her husband's (shiv's)house.
:-To mark the end of procession,the girls break their pots.

Apart from all these,newly married womens fast for the whole eighteen days of the festival and even unmarried womens fast and eat one time a day,in hope to find the good husband.During this festival in jaipur ,a popur sweet dish called 'gehwar'is distributed between families,relatives and friends.

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