Gangaur 2025 Date
On Gangaur, both unmarried girls and married women worship Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. In various regions, Lord Shiva is known as Isar Ji, and Goddess Parvati is referred to as Gaura Mata or Gawarja Ji. According to religious texts, observing this fast devoutly brings unmarried girls their desired grooms and ensures long, healthy lives for married women's husbands.
During the Gangaur worship, women craft idols of Gaura ji from sand or clay, decorate them, and perform rituals while singing folk songs. As per Vratotsav Sangraha, women who observe the fast by consuming only milk once during the day attain eternal happiness for their husbands and daughters.
An interesting aspect of this fast is that it is kept a secret from the husband, and even the Prasadam (sacred offering) is not given to him. The Gangaur Vrat Katha can be read to understand the reasoning behind this practice.
On the third day of Chaitra Navratri, known as Badi Gangaur, women perform sixteen adornments, fast, worship, and listen to the Gangaur fast story in the evening. An idol of Mata Gaura, made of sand near a water body, is offered water to drink, and the immersion ceremony takes place the following day. The worship location is considered Gangaur's maternal home, while the immersion site is seen as her in-laws' house.
Women prepare jewelry by mixing turmeric with flour, which is then offered to Goddess Parvati. These ornaments are called Gune. It is believed that the more gold coins women offer to the Goddess on Badi Gangaur, the more wealth and prosperity they receive. After the Puja, women gift the Guna to their mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. Some scholars suggest that "Guna" is a corruption of the word "Jewel."
In Rajasthan, Gangaur is an 18-day festival beginning from Chaitra Krishna Pratipada, the day after Holika Dahan, and concluding on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya. Women worship Isar Ji and Gawarja Ji, sprinkle water with grass, and sing the traditional song "Gor Gor Gomti." Local beliefs state that Mata Gawarja visits her maternal home on the second day of Holi and is taken back by Isar Ji after 18 days, bidding her farewell on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya.
In Rajasthan and rural areas, Gangaur worship includes singing folk songs dedicated to Mother Gawarja and Lord Isar. This festival is essential for women at the time of marriage. In Nimar, Madhya Pradesh, the festival is celebrated on a grand scale. The Gangaur Utsav concludes with a Bhandara (community feast) in each village, followed by the farewell of Mata Gawarja and Isar Ji.
Gangaur 2025 Date
Gangaur Puja 2025 Date - Monday, March 31, 2025
Tritiya Tithi Begins - 09:11 on Mar 31, 2025
Tritiya Tithi Ends - 05:42 on Apr 01, 2025
