India. A land of diversity, and different cultures, and unique lifestyles. A place where everyone is different, and knows the world differently.
And yet, we are not divided.
Diverse, but unified. Contrasting cultures, in harmony. Unique, but toget...
angaur is one of the most important and celebrated festivals in the state of Rajasthan. Primarily, it is celebrated in the state of Rajasthan, some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal. It falls on the third of the Shukla Paksh of Chaitra month of the Hindu Calendar. It is a sixteen day long celebration, which commenced on 29th March this year, that is the day after Holika Dehen and culminates on the 15th of April.
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The primary sentiment of the womenfolk observing this fast is to worship Goddess Parvati. Unmarried women pray for a good husband for themselves, while married women pray for the healthy, wealthy and long lives of their husbands and a happy married life. Worshipping the divine couple Gana and Gaur is the main practice that is observed in the festival. It is a celebration of harvest, spring, married fidelity and child bearing. A sweet dish is also prepared during this festival, which is called Gune, which are small fried rolls made from strips of a dough of refined wheat flour and dipped in sugar syrup.
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Vrat Katha associated with the festival is also recited during this period. Idols of Isar and Parvati are made from clay. On the third last day of this long celebration, the idols are dressed beautifully and a procession is taken out, where the married women keep the idols on their heads and sing songs about the departure of goddess Gauri to her husband's house and move towards a johad or bawdi where the idols are finally submerged on the last day.
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(Image credits: the_lost_stories. These idols are hand made with the help of a mould by painted by Shivangi, herself. It's very beautiful, isn't it?)
