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Festivals
Rajasthan has an unending cycle of fairs and festivals throughout the
year. They are perhaps the most colourful and spectacular in the whole of India.
Some of the important festivals are:
Teej
Teej
has been assigned the first place among the festivals. There are three Teej
festivals in a year and fairs are held on those occasions in towns and villages.
Teej, on the third day of the bright half of the month of Shravan is a festival
for girls. The Teej for the daughter's-in-law is held on the dark fortnight of
the month of Bhadon. Daughter's and daughter's-in-law are offered sweets and
garments on this day. Swings are a common sight and newly married girls return
to their parents home for the festival. The festival celebrates the beginning of the rainy season and
peasant families come to the cities for the occasion. The most colourful Teej
fair is held at Jaipur. In big towns impressive processions, led by gorgeously
caparisoned elephants, camels and horses are
taken out which make a grand spectacle.
Gangaur
Gangaur
is a religious festival which symbolises cultural heritage of Rajasthan. 'Gan'
is a synonym of Siva and 'Gauri' of his consort, Parvathi who symbolises married
bliss. It is devotion to the ideal woman which finds expression in this
festival. This festival has been celebrated by married women and young girls.
Unmarried seek a good natured husband and married women pray for the health,
long life and welfare of their spouses. This festival begins in the first week
of Chaitr and continues up to the fourth day of the bright half of the month.
The first important ritual of the festival is the collecting of ashes from
the Holi fire and burying seeds of wheat and barley in it. These are watered
every day until they germinate. The ritual is performed with songs of Isar and
Gauri (Siva and Parvathi) and the varying of pots of water on the head. A
week after Holi, women bring clay and make images of Gauri and Isar. The rituals in honour of the goddess are
colourful, with the singing of the
most beautiful songs in praise of her and her consort. Mehndi is applied by the
devotees on the palms of their hands. Singing and dancing are an essential part
of the festival.
The Gadalia festival seven days after Holi is also associated with Gangaur.
Hariyali Amavasya and Basant Panchami are among the other seasonal festivals of
Rajasthan.
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