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A festival devoted to Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. Ishar & Gangaur are the divine male and female ho embody marital love. Dedicated to goddess Gauri (Parvati), the festival commences on Holi/ Young girls pray for rooms of their choice while married women seek a long life for their husbands.
the ladies decorate their hands and feet ) drawing designs with Mehendi (Myrtle Jaste).
On the evening of the 7th day after -Holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of ghudlia (earthern pots with numerous holes all around with a lamp lit aside) carrying the pots on their hands. )n their way they collect small presents , cash, sweets, jaggery, ghee, oil etc. The women do these while chanting hymns to the Goddess.
Festivities continue for 18 days culminating with the arrival of Lord Shiva to escort his bride home. A grand process Ion with the ideal of Gauri in beautifully decorated gold and silver a palanquin caparisoned elephants, camels, horses, dances, drummers & joyous children, goes through the city streets. In Jaipur procession forms at the Palace Gate known as Tripolia and moves on the city streets on to Talkatora.
A vast gathering of jaipurites & villagers from nearby areas witness the procession. A sweet dish called Ghewar characteristic of the Gangaur festival is distributed among friends & relatives. In Jodhpur early in the morning thousands of maidens, clad in their best attire, singing melodious songs, bring water and durba grass in silver or brass pots to a place known as Girdikot.
In Udaipur the images of Isar & Gauri are taken in a procession to the Pichola lake there after in a boat for an hour they go around the lake and the ceremony comes to an end with a display of fireworks on the banks. The Girasia tribe eligible boys & girls in Sirohi, Mount Abu region during Gangaur festival select their life partners & elope with them. This form of marriage has the sanction of the community.
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