Gangaur 2011

This year Gangaur is on 20th March 2011, Sunday
This Vrat is celebrated from the Pradipada (first day) of the Chaitra Shukla to Dwiteeya (second day). This vrat is observed by married and unmarried females, both. Unmarried girls are praying for good husband and married ladies are praying for long life of their husbands.

Procedure for observing the Gangaur Fast
On the first day of this vrat, ladies are bringing the ashes from Holika Dahan and by mixing soil they are making the statue of Goddess Gauri. Next day morning they are worshiping the statue at the bank of river and coming back by singing the songs. This procedure they are following both days. This festival is very famous in Rajasthan (India).

The story of Gangaur
In ancient time, there was a king and a Gardener. They both have their farms adjacent. Once upon time, farmer noticed that crop in King’s field is growing like leaps and bounds and his crop was lesser and shorter than before. He was very disturbed by saw this and decided to sit and watch his field at the night to catch the offender. In the early morning he saw some young girls and married ladies are coming to his field and cutting crop from his field. He catches all the girls and asks the reason behind cutting his crop. On this, girls told them that they are taking the crop for the Gangaur Pooja and please let us take it for few days and then we will give you buckets full of Sheera and Lapsi. The farmer agreed on it as he was very poor. After few days when the girls completed their Gangaur Pooja they came to the farmer with buckets full of Sheera and Lapsi. At the evening when the farmer’s hungry son came back to home, he asked his mother to give some food; her mother said that it will take some more time to cook food and till than he can eat feast gifted by young girls. She asked his son to get the feast from the cupboard. When, young boy tried to open the cupboard, doors were jammed. By seeing this, the wife of the farmer sprinkled little water and roli on the door and cupboard’s door were opened up. All family of farmer was amazed to see that the buckets full of Lapsi and Sheera were converted into gold and expensive jewels. Then former and his family thanked to the Goddess Gangaur and people of that city started observing the fast of the Gangaur; as they were blessed everyone should be blessed in same way.