Ganguar

Ganguar festival is celebrated for showing dedication to the goddess Gauri and Lord Shiva. Married and unmarried women both keep fast to offer prayers to the goddess.  The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in different parts of India.

The term Shakti holds a special status in our Hindu religion. The Shakti refers to feminine energy and is perceived in all phenomena in life. God, the originator of life on Earth, is responsible for the movement of all things – cosmic objects or the various forces of nature. Shakti has been synonymous with all form and identified under different names-one of them is Gauri. The term refers to Ganguar festival refers to Gan and Gaur which refers to Shakti and shiv. The festival marks the worship of Gauri by women folk in different parts of central and Western India – Rajasthan.

It starts on the first day of the Month of Chaitra as per the Hindu calendar. It is followed by the third day of Shukla pasha of the same month. The festival is usually an 18-day affair where all women are expected to observe a fast and restrict to only one meal per day. Women worship clay idols of Shiva and Gauri which are decorated during the full course of the festival.

Certain Rajput families worship traditional wooden figurines of the divine couple. They are being repainted every year by artisans every year. The figures are placed in baskets along with wheatgrass and flowers. It plays an important role in rituals as it signifies harvest. 

People also buy earthen pots locally and decorate them in traditional Rajasthan paintings. Married women need to receive gifts or gifts hampers from parents, known as Sinjara. This consists of clothes, makeup, jewellery and sweets etc. These gifts are sent on second last day of festival where women utilize to get ready on celebration day.

They also decorated hands and feet with beautiful Mehdi designs. Ceremonies –

• Rajasthan is recognized widely for its grand and colourful celebration of events and Ganguar is no different.  
• There are different fairs are being held to celebrate this festival
• Women are dressed in traditional attire with jewellery·       
• They carry beautiful idols of Shiva and Gauri on their heads·       
• Musical bands are part of these procession. ·       
• Play traditional songs and folk dances·       
• Immersion of idols in well or reservoir. ·       
• People from distant corners of town set to witness and participate in processions·       
• Holding Ganguar festival for auspicious occasion for choosing life partners·       
• Urge goddess to bless their husbands with good health and long life.
• Parvati had performed a penance to persuade Lord Shiva to marry her. Her devotion and consistent efforts pay off.