Nepaltraveller.com
KATHMANDU
The main theme of this festival is the worship goddess Gauri, so on this day many temples of the goddess are visited and different rituals, like prayers and worship are conducted. After that fasting women return home and bless their families with Biruda, which is supposed to give them long life and health.
The deuda dance is major part of this festival in which participants hold hands and form a circle as they dance to traditional music. Apart from the many ceremonies that happen during this festival, on this occasion married women put on the sacred thread and new clothes to celebrate.
The Gaura festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Far-Western region of the country. The festival begins from Bhadra Krishna Panchami of the Nepali calendar and lasts for four days. On the first day, idols of Gaura are established in a field and adorned with jewellery. The idol which is the representation of Goddess Parvati is then brought to the residence of locals in a procession. During the festival, houses, water spouts and roads are cleaned.
There are many tales regarding the origin of the Gaura but mainly on this day, women worship goddess Gauri, the wife of Lord Shiva for their husband's health and long age. On the day of Krishna Janmastami women fast and later form idols of Shiva and Parvati of grass. They also offer a mixture of five kinds of grains, known as Panchbirudi.
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