Venue: The festival is celebrated throughout the state, but Jaipur is the main venue for it.
Time: March - April
Duration: 18 days
Gangaur Fair
Gangaur Festivals holds a special significance for the Rajasthanis. It is celebrated in honour of Gauri, the goddess of abundance. Young girls adorned in their best clothes pray for a spouse of their choice. The married ladies pray for the welfare of their husbands. This spring festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal all over Rajasthan. The celebrations at Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nathdwara and Jaisalmer are full of pomp and are a must-see.
The ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing designs with mehendi (myrtle paste). The figures drawn range from the Sun, Moon and the stars to simple flowers or geometrical designs.
Ghudlias are earthen pots with numerous holes all around and a lamp lit inside them. On the evening of the 7th day after Holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of ghudlia carrying the pots with a burning lamp inside, on their heads. On their way, they collect small presents of cash, sweets, jaggery, ghee, oil etc. This continues for 10 days i.e. upto the conclusion of the Gangaur Festival when the girls break their pots and throw the debris into a well or a tank and enjoy a feast with the collections made.
The festival reaches its climax during the last three days. Unmarried girls and married women decorate the images and make them look like living figures. At an auspicious hour in the afternoon, a procession is taken out to a garden, tank or a well with the images of Isar and Gauri, placed on the heads of married women.
Getting There
Air : Indian airlines, Jet airways and Sahara airlines have regular service to Jaipur. All the major cities are connected to Jaipur.
Rail : Shatabdhi and Intercity connects Jaipur to Delhi. Shatabdhi is fully air conditioned train from Delhi to Jaipur, you can also try the Intercity express which starts from Delhi and reaches Jaipur. There are other trains also to Jaipur from other metro cities.
Road : Rajasthan roadways have regular bus services from New Delhi, running deluxe and air conditioned coaches from Bikaner house, Delhi. Jaipur is also well connected with the other cities of Rajasthan. One can also hire private taxis.
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