Gangaur Festival, Jaipur on 2nd, 3rd April 2014

Gangaur Festival 2014 will be celebrated in Jaipur on 2nd, 3rd April 2014. Gangaur is an extremely important festival of Rajasthan. It commences on the day following Holi and continues for 18 days. The festival is celebrated by womenfolk with great enthusiasm and devotion for Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva. While married women worship Gauri, the embodiment of perfection and conjugal love for the success of their married life, unmarried women worship the Goddess for being blessed with good husband. Gangaur Festival also celebrates monsoon, harvest and marital fidelity. Gangaur aptly reflects the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan and is celebrated with great pomp and show in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Marathwara and Jaisalmer. Gangaur Festival is also observed at some places in Gujarat.

Customs & Rituals: This Festival is celebrated throughout Rajasthan with great enthusiasm. Mehndi is applied by the devotees on the palms of their hands. Singing and dancing are an essential part of the festival. 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.
Regional Celebrations Of Gangaur: Gangaur is a religious festival that reflects the excellent cultural heritage of Rajasthan. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Marathwara and Jaisalmer. It is also observed in some place of Gujarat. In Bengal, more particularly at Nabadwip and Santipur, and in Orissa, a similar ritual, called Doljatra, is observed by followers of the Vishnu cult.