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Gowri Festival

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Gowri Festival-Karnataka

About:

Gowri Festival, also known as Gowri Habba, is a Hindu festival celebrated with devotion in Karnataka and parts of southern India. Dedicated to Goddess Gowri (an incarnation of Parvati and mother of Lord Ganesha), the festival occurs a day before Ganesh Chaturthi. It celebrates femininity, strength, and devotion, as Goddess Gowri is worshiped as the embodiment of power and resilience. Women, particularly married women, perform rituals to honor Gowri and seek her blessings for a happy, prosperous, and harmonious life. The festival involves elaborate pujas, colorful decorations, and delicious festive foods, reflecting the joy and reverence of the occasion.

According to the legend, Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of resolution, was away at a war. His wife Pavarti, wanted to bathe and having no-one to guard the door to her house, conceived of the idea of creating a son who could guard her. Parvati created Ganesha out of the sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door and instructed him not to let anyone enter.

Location info:

Gowri Festival is primarily celebrated in Karnataka, with major festivities held in cities like Bangalore, Mysore, and Hubli. Smaller celebrations occur across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, but it’s Karnataka where the festival has its deepest roots and largest celebrations.

Climate/Weather:

The festival falls in August or September, during the monsoon season. Temperatures typically range from 20°C to 30°C, with occasional rainfall. The weather can be humid, but the monsoon season also brings a lush green landscape, enhancing the festive atmosphere.

History:

Gowri Festival has ancient roots in Hindu mythology. According to legend, Goddess Gowri, an incarnation of Parvati, decided to perform penance to purify herself and gain the power to vanquish evil forces. Pleased with her devotion, Lord Shiva blessed her with unmatched strength and resilience, and she returned to her family, symbolizing the reunion of the divine family. This mythological event inspired Gowri Habba, where married women pray to Goddess Gowri for a long, harmonious marital life, and unmarried women seek blessings for a good spouse. The ritual signifies women’s strength, virtue, and devotion, celebrating Gowri’s empowerment and protection of family values. Over centuries, Gowri Habba has become a prominent festival in Karnataka, where it’s marked with distinct customs like decorating Gauri idols, performing traditional puja rituals, and preparing special festive foods. The festival also emphasizes the role of women in society, their strength, and their role as nurturers, making it a celebration of family and community bonds.

Importance:

Gowri festival is a Hindu festival celebrated a day before Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a significant festival in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. Goddess Gowri the mother of Lord Ganesha and wife of Lord Shiva is worshiped through out India for her ability to bestow upon her devotees courage & power. Hindu belief has it that Goddess Gowri is the very incarnation of Aadhi Shakthi Mahamaya. She is the Shakthi of Lord Shiva. It is believed that on Thadige, or the third day of the month of Bhaadrapada Goddess Gowri comes home like any married girl comes to her parent's house. The next day Lord Ganesha, her son comes as if to take her back to Kailasa.

Method of Celebration:

Preparations for the Puja:
Preparations for Gowri Festival begin well in advance. Women clean and decorate their homes, purchase items needed for the puja, such as kumkum, turmeric, fresh flowers, sarees, jewelry, and a Gowri idol or image. An altar (Mantapa) is set up in a special area of the home, decorated with flowers, mango leaves, and other festive ornaments.

Swarnagowri Vratha (Special Puja)
The main ritual of Gowri Festival is the Swarnagowri Vratha, performed mainly by women. This involves offering flowers, kumkum, turmeric, and rice to the Gowri idol. Women chant special mantras and prayers, seeking Gowri’s blessings for marital harmony, family well-being, and prosperity. During the Vratha, traditional items like turmeric roots, which represent the goddess, are used to signify her blessings.

The Gauri is decorated with decorations made of cotton, vastra(silk cloth/saree), flower garlands, and ladies get their 'gauridaara' a sacred thread with 16 knots tied to their right wrists, as blessings of gauri and as part of the vratha. At least 5 baginas are prepared as part of the vratha. Each baagina usually contains a packet of arshina turmeric , kumkuma vermilion , black bangles, black beads (used in the mangalsutra), a comb, a small mirror, baLe bicchoLe, coconut, blouse piece, dhaanya cereal , rice, tur dal, green dal, wheat or rava and jaggery cut in a cube form. The bagina is offered in a traditional mora winnow painted with turmeric . One such bagina is offered to Goddess Gowri and set aside. The remaining Gowri baaginas are given to married women.

Culture of Festivities:

Symbol of Womanhood and Strength Gowri Festival celebrates Goddess Gowri as the epitome of strength, purity, and womanhood. The festival has a special significance for women, who look to Gowri as a role model and source of inspiration. Married women pray for marital harmony and the welfare of their families, while young, unmarried girls seek her blessings for a suitable spouse. This focus on the goddess’s strength and virtues reflects the cultural respect for femininity and the power of womanhood.

Ganesha loves food, his favourite is Modak, hence is the main sweet dish during the festival. It is called modakam in South India. A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji (karjikaiin Kannada) which is similar to the modak in composition and taste but has a semicircular shape.

How to reach?

Nearest Railway Station: All major cities in Karnataka have railway stations, with Bangalore and Mysore being the primary hubs.

Nearest Airport: Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport is well connected domestically and internationally. Mysore also has an airport with domestic flights.

Road Transport: Major cities like Bangalore, Mysore, and Hubli are well connected by buses, taxis, and personal vehicles.

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

All major cities have a wide range of accommodation options, from budget to luxury hotels. During festivals, booking in advance is recommended, especially in Bangalore and Mysore, which see an influx of visitors.