---

Gangaur

In the month of March, in the second lunar fortnight, the main festival of Jaipur "Gangaur" is celebrated . It is a favorable occasion for women where the married women wish welfare and long life for their husbands and seek blessings of Gauri. The maidens on this occasion invoke goddess Gauri for a good and capable husband. This 18-day festival is dedicated to Parvati , the wife of Shiva. The songs and the twinkling of dancing bells indicate the Gangaur festival just after the colorful Holi.

On the Chetr (March) 3rd, God Siva gave a godsend to Parvati and who in turn to all married women, that their husbands should have long life, more than the wife. On this day married women undertake a fast till midday . Before the fast, they install an image of Renuka and Gauri. All adoration articles just like:glass bangles, vermilion, alta (the red lac solution to adore feet), turmeric, bindi , comb, mirror, kajal are offered, after ritual worship with incense and sandalwood. Bhog (a part of food offered to the image) is distributed. Then the story related to Gauri is narrated. Then from the vermilion, offered to Gauri, women fill it in their parted hair. Then after taking one meal in the day, the fast is completed.