Gangaur Festival, Jaipur
A
festival devoted to Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. Ishar &
Gangaur are the divine male and female ho embody marital love. Dedicated to
goddess Gauri (Parvati), the festival commences on Holi/ Young girls pray for
rooms of their choice while married women seek a long life for their husbands.
rhe ladies decorate their hands and feet )y drawing designs with Mehendi (Myrtle
Jaste).
On the evening of the 7th day after -holi, unmarried girls go around singing
songs of ghudlia (earthern pots with numerous holes all around with a lamp lit
aside) carrying the pots on their hands. )n their way they collect small presents
,f cash, sweets, jaggery, ghee, oil etc. The women do these while chanting hymns
to the Goddess.
Festivities continue for 18 days culminating with the arrival of Lord Shiva
to escort his bride home. A grand process Ion with the ideal of Gauri in beautifully
decorated gold and silver a palanquin caparisoned elephants, camels, horses,
dances, drummers & joyous children, goes through the city streets. In Jaipur
procession forms at the Palace Gate known as Tripolia and moves on the city
streets on to Talkatora.
A vast gathering of jaipurites & villagers from nearby areas witness the
procession. A sweet dish called Ghewar characteristic of the Gangaur festival
is distributed among friends & relatives. In Jodhpur early in the morning
thousands of maidens, clad in their best attire, singing melodious songs, bring
water and durba grass in silver or brass pots to a place known as Girdikot.
In Udaipur the images of Isar & Gauri are taken in a procession to the Pichola
lake there after in a boat for an hour they go around the lake and the ceremony
comes to an end with a display of fireworks on the banks. The Girasia tribe
eligible boys & girls in Sirohi, Mount Abu region during Gangaur festival
select their life partners & elope with them. This form of marriage has
the sanction of the community.
