Gangaur Festival - The vibrant Festivals of Rajasthan

Each festival, how it might be, where it might be, or which it might be, it signifies love in the end. But, what if, there could be specifically a festival that is based on love and not just love, but also marriage? Well, to the answer, there already exists one, the Gangaur festival that is celebrated in Jaipur in the native state of Rajasthan is the festival of marriage and love.

This festival is celebrated in the pink city of the country and is celebrated majorly by the women of that region and happens to be the pride of the region. The festival mainly signifies love and marriage and is celebrated to honour the Goddess Gauri. The festival is celebrated with great joy by the people of that region. Women, both married and unmarried, celebrate the festival equal faith and belief, but it is said that depending on the marital status, the women pray for different things.

The name Gangaur comprises of two names, Gana and Gaur, Gana is a name of Lord Shiva and Gauri happens to be the name of Goddess Gauri. The word Gangaur signifies Lord Shiva and Parvathi together. The legend says that Goddess Gauri was attracted to Lord Shiva while he meditated and was in devotion. Lord Shiva was then impressed by Goddess Parvathi because of which he decided to marry her. Lord Shiva then went to meet her parents and Goddess Parvathi stayed with her friends and blessed them with a fruitful marriage whilst staying there for 18 days. Then on the last day, Lord Shiva came to escort Goddess Parvathi along with her. This is the reason why this festival is celebrated by the people residing in the region.

The festival is celebrated throughout the country, but it is majorly celebrated in the native state of Rajasthan and in the city of Jaipur in it. Since the festival is the major gaiety for the women, it is celebrated majorly by the women in the region. The women are dressed in beautiful traditional attire and are clad in pretty antique jewellery to go along. The dresses of vivid colors and jewels of several intrinsic patterns add to the delight of the festivity.

The women pray for 18 days straight in the morning as well as the evening for the health and wealth of their partner and their spouse. The unmarried women pray for an apt match for themselves when they come of the correct age. The women worship the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, the local artisans especially make these idols for this festival. They are decorated with several pretty decorations and the idols are then placed in a basket full of flowers and several other decorations. Apart from that, wheatgrass plays an essential factor in the festival, the wheatgrass is sown in an earthen pot. These water pots are then decorated, and they are then used to decorate the houses during the festival. The unmarried women have to fast for the entire day with having only one meal a day. While married women fast for the entire day.

The women on the 7th day carry the water pots on their heads with lamps in the pots. Whilst carrying the pots the women dress in appealing dresses and dance and sing to the tunes of traditional music. Then on the 17th day, the parents of the married daughter send jewellery and clothes to their son-in-law’s house as a token of love. The women then wear the same gifted jewellery and the dresses in order to celebrate the 18th day, when there indeed is a grand procession when a large statue of Goddess Gauri is decorated and worshipped. This statue is then taken through the city, the women walk along with the pots on their heads and to the river bank. The women then break the pots and immerse the idols as well as the pots in the water.

The last day of the Gangaur festival is also considered to be the match-fixing day in several tribes, and the women select their partner after the ritual is concluded.

As the festival is organized in Jaipur, you have to get to the city from any part of the globe. It has a well-connected network of roadways, railways, and airways.

• Jaipur happens to have a very well-connected network of roadways that are connected to almost all the parts of the nation and even the roads are well maintained. The availability of taxis is pretty good, the buses offer a good service and a good frequency too, you can even go there in a private car which is more enjoyable.

• Jaipur railway station is connected to almost all the parts of the country. There are a number of express trains that come here on a daily basis. Also, there are luxury trains that are worth experiencing. Some of the luxury trains are ‘The palace on wheels’, as well as the ‘Maharaja Express’, and they are actually amongst the most luxurious trains in the world.

• Jaipur airport is amongst the most serving and the busiest airports in Rajasthan. It is located at a distance of a few kilometers from the actual festival site. There are many domestic and international flights that land and take-off from this airport on a daily basis. From the airport, you can get taxis, buses, or private vehicles to get to the destination.

Amongst all the others, staying in this land of Maharajas is once in a lifetime experience. That too in Jaipur, the pink city, there is a whole list of luxury hotels that resemble the palaces of the Maharajas that resided here and still reside here. With intrinsic patterns and exquisite architecture, there are several star hotels as well as luxury apartments. There are also budget hotels that have a tinge of the royal taste of this royal land.

The major attraction of this festival obviously happens to be the tradition that is followed and the vivid festivities that are associated with it. The costumes of the women, jewellery, and henna designs are the major attractions for several women from different walks of life. Apart from that the popular Rajasthani folk music, the engaging dances, the dramas. Lastly, the cuisine of the festival in the royal land adds an extra bit of charm and flavour to all the other major attractions for everyone.