Gangaur Fair & Festival 2018 - Dates, Story, Timing

(Img Srce)

Gangaur is about honoring the goddess of Gori and celebrating love and marriage. Manifestation of Parvati (Lord Shiva's wife), it represents purity and austerity.

 "Gana" is another word for God Shiva, and Gangaur means Lord Shiva and Parvati together. Gori is believed to have won the affection of the Lord Shiva through his deep devotion and hopes for his temptation. Barvati returned to the parents ' house during Gangaur, to bless his friends with this marriage.

On the last day, Parvati received a great farewell from his loved ones, and Lord Shiva came to accompany her to his home.

When is the Gangaur Festival? - Gangaur Fair Dates

In 2018, Gangaur will be celebrated on March 20-21. However, festival rituals commence the day after Holi.

Where is it Celebrated?

Gangaur celebrations take place all over Rajasthan and it's one of the state's most important festivals. Married women worship Gauri for the good health and longevity of their husbands. Unmarried women worship her to be blessed with a good husband.

The most notable celebrations happen in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Nathdwara (near Udaipur). In Udaipur, Gangaur coincides with the Mewar Festival, which takes place during the two days following it (March 20-22, 2018).

How is it Celebrated?

The festival is predominantly for women, who dress in their best clothes and jewelry, and pray for a husband of their choice or the welfare of their husbands.

On the last day, colorful processions of bejeweled images of the goddess Gauri wind their way all over cities and villages, accompanied by local bands.

In Udaipur, there's a boat procession on Lake Pichola, and fireworks. Women balance several brass pitchers on their heads add to the interest. The occasion ends with fireworks on the banks of the lake.

Early in the morning in Jodhpur, thousands of maidens dress up, sing, and carry water and grass in pots.

In Jaipur, the pomp and pageantry of the traditional procession starts out from the Zanani-Deodhi of the City Palace. It passes through Tripolia Bazaar, Chhoti Chaupar, Gangauri Bazaar, Chaugan stadium, and finally converges near the Talkatora. Elephants, old palanquins, chariots, bullock carts, and folk performances are all part of it.

What Rituals are Performed During Gangaur?

Beautiful idols of Shiva and Parvati, to be worshiped during the festival, are made by local craftsmen. They're brought home and decorated, and placed in a basket with grass and flowers. Wheat plays an important role in the rituals. It's sown in small earthen pots (kunda) and the wheat grass is used for worship on the final day. Water pots are also decorated with traditional Rajasthani maandna (a special type of painting done with lime water).

All newly married women must fast for the whole 18 days of the festival. Even unmarried women fast and only eat one meal a day, in the hope of finding a good husband. In order to attract Mr Right, in the evening of the seventh day of the festival, young unmarried girls carry clay pots (called ghudilas) with a lamp burning inside them on their heads.

They sing traditional Rajasthani folk songs related to the festival and are blessed with gifts from elder family members.

On the second last day of the festival, known as Sinjara, the parents of married women send their daughters sweets, clothes, jewellery and other decorative items. The women dress up in these items and adorn their hands and feet with mehendi (henna), and celebrate with their families.

The festival culminates in Gauri's departure on the last day, with the breaking of the ghudilas and the immersion of the Gauri idols in water. Women can be seen carrying them through the streets on their heads.

Gangaur is also an auspicious time of year to select a life partner. Tribal men and women get the opportunity to meet and interact, pick there partners, and elope and marry.

Popular Festivals And Fairs of Rajasthan

Rajasthan will host several festivals in the coming months, ranging from festivals of dance music and camel shows, to a ball of events and a gala of literature. The most colorful state of India has, in recent years, also gained the reputation of being one of the most favorable regions for festivals in India. Besides the fact that it makes for a scenic Festival venue, the organizers' preference for this particular region has to do with the welcoming government, which made laws easier for such events to thrive. Not to mention the cultural ethos of the Rajasthani people, which are known to be an extremely hospitable. Here are 11 festivals that the state will host in the coming months.

11 Festivals And Fairs of Rajasthan

1.) Camel Fair – Bikaner: - The Camel Fair in Rajasthan is popular in Bikaner and is held in January. The "desert ship", the camel, is adorned with colorful stools, anklet bracelets and necklaces. A procession is made by displaying the camels, while the owners of camels hold the head in honor. Contests and shows are part of the festivities. Crowds cheer like war shooting contests, camel races and camel dance competitions are held.

2.) Desert Festival, Jaisalmer: - Each year during the Desert Festival in Rajasthan, the barren land around Jaisalmer comes alive with the beats of traditional musical instruments, songs, colors and remarkable enthusiasm. The Rajasthan Festival displays the best of folk traditional Rajasthani culture that will leave you hypnotized. This usual fair in Rajasthan attractions include breathtaking performances by skilled jugglers and snake charmers. But the main attractions of the fair remain camel acrobatics, camel races and scenery, camel polo, war shooting and innumerable other events of this kind.

3.) Mewar Festival:- Dedicate to the goddess Gauri (Parvati), Mewar Festival in Rajasthan offers the best of rajasthani culture. This festival in Rajasthan is celebrated to host the spring season with various rituals and fireworks. The great Climax is seen when the group of women dressed in rainbow tones of scarlet, yellow, green and violet red carry images to the Gangaur of Lake Pichola and an official boat procession begins from the Lake Palace.

4.) Elephant Festival, Jaipur: - Held every year around the Holi Color Festival, Elephant Festival in Rajasthan unveils the majesty and grandeur of elephant. The main attractions of the Festival include a royal procession of 60 elephants in their best refinery, a game of Polo Elephant, an elephant race and playing Holi on mammals. It will certainly be a time to cherish for a long time to come.

5.) Teej Festival, Rajasthan: - Held in Jaipur, the Rajasthan Teej Festival commemorated the Union of the Goddess Parvati with Lord Shiva. As the desert burns with the hot summer sun, everyone is waiting impatiently for the advent of the monsoons. Teej marks the arrival of the long expected rains and is the Festival of swings. The swings are decorated with flowers and young girls sing joyful songs. The Teej idol is adorned and adored.

Main Fairs And Festivals of Rajasthan

6.) Pushkar Fair, Pushkar: - Pushkar Fair is an event in Rajasthan which is worlds famous fair of Rajasthan and attract tourists from around the world. The Pushkar Fair is held every year during the month of Koba feast and countless devotees of all denominations gather to dive into the Holy Lake. Dance, music, cheerfully dressed people and various cultural events enhance the pleasure of the occasion. Main attractions of the Camel Shopping Fair, cattle auctions and colorful shops displaying beautiful handwork.

7.) Kite Festival, Jaipur: - A color festival with a different naunce-like kites take to heaven everywhere Rajasthan.in the evening, the kites with lights in them add to the scintillating sky URabove. The main celebration points are Jaipur and Jodhpur. The main kite flying day, Makar Sankranti, is on 14 January.

8.) Tilwara Fair, Tilawara: - A 175-year-old fair dedicated to malinathji, one of the rulers of the village of jasol, it is held in a dry riverbed and came to signify the horse trade Marwari, Kathi and Sindi. Some mystical aspects that relate to the Fair include the raising of about two feet of water for only the fair period, and testing animals at poles in the soil that is otherwise too soft for him.

9.) Dussehra, Kota: - Dussehra commemorates the massacre of the 10-head Ravana by Rama, hero of the Indian epic, Ramayana. An effigy of Ravana is lit, stuffed with firecrackers, creating an exciting explosion. Dussehra also marks the beginning of the festive season with Diwali, the Festival of Lights, just 20 days away.

10.) Gangaur Fair, Jaipur: - The celebration of the monsoon, harvest and martial loyalty in Jaipur. The idols of Issar and Gangaur, manifestations of Shiva and Parvati, are worshiped by women, especially bachelors who pray for a Shiva-like companion. The Festival is particularly colorful in Jaipur, Udaipur and Mandawa in the Shekhawati region.

11.) Nagaur Fair and desert Festival: - Participate in two unusual celebrations, a cattle show in Nagaur and a tourist fair in Jaisalmer. A trade fair for cattle and camels in January-February, it is a wonderful oppurnity to catch up with rural life as owners from all over the state come to camp on the dead ends of Nagaur while they buy and Sell animals. The animal skins, cut in beautiful patterns, are particularly interesting.