Gangaur Festival
The Gangaur Festival of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India holds a special significance for Rajasthani. In the month of Chaitra – the first month of Hindu calendar, one of the most lively and important local festival of Rajasthan, Gangaur Festival is celebrated. According to English Calendar this festival is held in the month of March-April on the advent of spring and end of winter. This religious festival of Hindus is celebrated in all over Rajasthan. Gangaur is the combination of two words – Gan & Gaur.
Gan stands for Lord Shiva and Gaur stands for his consort Gauri (goddess Parvati). So in this festival, Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati are worshiped. Predominantly this festival is celebrated in the respect of goddess Parvati – the goddess of abundance.
Gangaur Festival is predominantly celebrated by young unmarried girls and women. They prepare and buy the clay idols of Gan and Gauri. They decorated them with colorful clothes. They worship the clay idols. On the occasion of this festival they also sing Rajasthani religious songs. During the time of worshiping young unmarried girls pray for good husbands and married women pray for long life and good health of their husbands.
This festival is celebrated all over Rajasthan but fascination of this festival is unique in Jaipur. On this auspicious festival girls and women decorate their hands and feet with heena (menhadi). On the end of this auspicious festival, a traditional procession commences from the Zanani Deorhi of the City Place, passing through Tripolia Bazair, Chhoti Chaupar, Gangauri Bazar, Chaugan stadium and finally converges near the Talkatora. The idols of Gan and Gauri are plunged into a pond or lake. 
Apart from the enjoyment of this festival one can also see many architecturally beautiful structures and picturesque place of tourist interest during his tour to Jaipur. Some major attractions of Jaipur are City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Amber Fort. To visit the Gangaur Festival of Jaipur, Rajasthan, one can easily get there by rail, road and air. Jaipur has its own airport and well-connected by road & rail from all the major cities of India.
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