Gangaur
Festivals of
Rajasthan
Desert Festival
Jaisalmer ||
Elephant Festival
|| Gangaur Festival ||
Pushkar Fair
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. The festival is celebrated by girls and married
women throughout Rajasthan. 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. |