Gangaur Festival

The Gangaur Festival is a celebration of the Lord Shiva and his holy consort Goddess Parvati. Observed throughout Rajasthan with much pomp and grandeur, the Gangaur Festival is more important from the point of married woman as they pray to Parvati who has always been regarded as a symbol of virtue and fidelity. During this festival, young girls also dress up in all their finery and observe rituals for a husband of their choice while the married women pray for the well being of their husbands.

The two-week long Gangaur festival sees the local people dancing on the streets and taking out colorful procession in honor of Parvati, complete with horses, elephants, camels, palanquin bearers and musicians. Feel enthralled by the spectacular celebrations during the Gangaur Festival that you can see only on tours to Rajasthan with a Journey to India.

The rituals for the festival begin right from the day Holi is celebrated when the ashes of the Holika Dahan are collected. Seeds of wheat and barley are buried in the ash, which are then watered everyday till germination takes place. Over the next few days, the cities witness women singing devotional songs and carrying of painted water pots on their head.

Another interesting aspect of the Gangaur Festival is that the tribal men and women take it as a good opportunity to interact with each other and marry by eloping. The accompanying Gangaur Fair also adds much fun and merriment to the entire proceedings.

Following is the list of the various Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan:

• Gangaur Festival
• Teej Festival
• Camel Festival, Bikaner
• Desert Festival, Jaisalmer
• Elephant Festival Jaipur
• International Kite Festival Jaipur
• Marwar Festival, Jodhpur
• Nagaur Fair, Nagaur
• Pushkar Fair, Pushkar

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