Every year the state of Maharashtra bursts with joy and colour during the Ganeshotsav festival that comes in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada.
Lord Ganesh is welcomed home and worshipped with all rituals, prayers, pomp and devotion.
However, not many people know that on the third day of the festival Ma Gauri idol is also placed alongside his.
In many parts of India, Gauri is considered as Ma Parvati , the mother of Lord Ganesh. However, in Maharashtra, the belief prevalent is that she is Lord Ganesh's sister who has come to visit her brother. Hence, 2 idols of Gauri are placed by the idol of Lord Ganesh, the two idols symbolising two sisters.The elder sister is called Jyeshtha ( ज्येष्ठ ) Gauri while the younger one is called Kanishth ( कनिष्ठ ) Gauri. The idols can be human sized or even only the face. She comes for a visit lasting only 3 days. That means from the third to the fifth day of Ganeshotsav.
The first day the idols are welcomed home with prayers. Gauri sthapan is performed as per all rituals and traditions. The full sized Gauri is dressed and bejeweled like a Maharashtrian married woman. The sari colours are mostly like a bride. Everything that a bride wears is put on her ; Bridal sari, Mangalsutra, Kumkum, Haldi, Necklaces, Dark green, red and gold bangles, Earrings, maang tika, rings, armlets, kamarband ( waist chain ) , anklets, toe rings, nose ring, Bindi and flower veni in her hair.
On the second day, Satyanarayan Puja is performed by the womenfolk. Variety of prasad like ladoos, karanji, kheer, basundi, modak are offered to her.
Relatives, friends, neighbors are invited to pray and pay obeisance to her. As she is a married woman, she is believed to grant happiness in another married woman's life, be it a happy marriage or a blessing of a child etc.
On the second day, a variety of naivedya is prepared by the women of the family along with help from their female friends and neighbors. No stone is left unturned in preparing a feast for her.
For she is visiting her maternal house and being the daughter of the family, she is to be pampered and indulged.
Rice, Roti, Puranpoli, Amil, vegetable dishes ranging from mixed veg, potatoes and brinjals to dry ones, Koshimbir, Puris, fried papads, Bhajiya, Chutney etc are prepared. Everyone in the family, neighborhood, social circle is invited for her 'Darshan' and to partake in the feast. Devotees, especially married women, apply kumkum and haldi on her forehead, offer her blouse material, coconut, fruits, flowers and sweets. They pray for their wishes to be fulfilled.
The third day is the day of her visarjan, that is immersion in a local water body. Accordingly prayers are performed and then she is left alone in the room with all the naivedya prepared for her; ladoo, modak, karanji, anarsa etc. The doors and windows are tightly shut so that no one watches her eat. After a while, the doors are opened to check the things she had.
Later on, she is taken with all pomp, music , and dance in a procession along with her brother ( Fifth day Ganpati immersion ) or if the Ganpati idol is kept for more than five days, then only the Gauri immersion is to be performed.
Just like her brother's visit brings joy, happiness and prosperity in the devotees' family, so does it with Ma Gauri as well. She blesses them all with happiness, health, wealth and answers their prayers. She leaves her maternal home and promises to visit again next year.
( Picture courtesy - Anju Bhagnari and Dr. Hitesha Rohira )
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