Swarna Gowri Vratha
Swarna Gowri Vratha/Pooja is celebrated by girls and women in Karnataka and Andhara Pradesh. Goddess Gowri is the mother of Lord Ganesha. This festival falls in the hindu month of Shravana, August – September by Gregorian calender. This year (2009) it is on 23rd August. This pooja has a special significance for married women as it is believed that Goddess Parvati or Gauri blesses the husbands with longevity, wealth and prosperity.
A clay idol of Goddess Gauri is kept on a small silver or copper plate filled with rice. A small pyramid is also molded out of Turmeric paste to represent Gowri. The pooja is performed by the women with the priest in the background chanting mantras and giving instructions. The goddess is showered with many pooja items like flowers, leaves, kumkum, turmeric powder and 16 line Gejjevastra.
Picture – 16 line Gejjevastra
A thread colored with turmeric powder with 16 knots is worshipped by the women and this will be tied on their right hand by the other women. On this day women buy new clothes and glass bangles and wear these during the pooja.
Delicious food is prepared on this day and offered to the goddess. Dishes like Chitranna (colored rice), Payasa (pudding), Kayi Holige (a sweet bread stuffed with coconut mixture), Tovve, Saru /Rasam, Kayi Kadabu, Palya (Vegetable dish), Kosambari (salad) and Ambode or bhajji (deep fried fritters) are prepared and relished together by everyone at home.
After the pooja, women exchange decorated bamboo plates (mora) filled with nine types of grain (navadhanya), along with Jaggery, bangles, turmeric, a blouse piece, kumkum, betel leaves, fruits and nuts and dakshina/money. Women perform the pooja at their maternal homes as a mark of respect and gratitude to their parents.
The next day, Gowri is given a warm visarjana / send off by offering Udi (offering all the sacred items like Turmeric, Flowers, Vermilion, Blouse piece, Rice, Betel nuts and leaf, Turmeric root and dry Coconut) and the clay idol is immersed in water along with Lord Ganesha’s idol.
Picture – Gowri Udi
Tags: Festivals, Gowri, Hindus, married women, swarna gowri, swarna gowri vratha
Related posts
Filed under: Festivals
Naveen:I love doing Gowri and Ganapathi puja!
Kalyani:You did a great job explaining this great festival,especially helps the younger generations to understand and practice our festivals and traditions.
Naveen:I think it’s fun to practice our religion and culture…XD
gowri vratha- with songs
we want mantra in gowri vratha & also ganesha. we search more and more.but not here in net.
I am in USA past few years. we celiberate Gowri VRatha. when i seen the gowri Alankaara, i miss my pooja celeberation in india with mallige hoovu and mannina gowri, and baale kamba,morada baagina.
I would like to thanks for your great pictures.
Today i am really missing my INDIA
Dear Suananda,
I can understand your thoughts and thanks for stopping by…Please keep reading, I intend to put lot more content and pictures of India, which might just blow away your home sickness.
Keep smiling!
Nirupama