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Notes: All timings are represented in 12-hour notation in local time of Fairfield, United States with DST adjustment (if applicable).
Hours which are past midnight are suffixed with next day date. In Panchang day starts and ends with sunrise.
According to Hindu calendar, Shuka Paksha Tritiya of Chaitra month is celebrated as Gangaur. This festival is celebrated in different regions of the country mainly including Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This festival is celebrated very popularly in Braj also. In the name Gangaur, Gana means Lord Shiva and Gaur means Mata Parvati.
On the day of Gangaur, unmarried girls and married women worship Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. In many areas, Lord Shiva is worshiped as Isar Ji and Goddess Parvati is worshiped as Gaura Mata. Gaura ji is also known as Gawarja ji. According to religious scriptures, by observing this fast with full devotion, unmarried girls get their desired groom, and husbands of married women live long and healthy.
In the worship of Gangaur, women make Gaura ji of sand or clay and decorate it completely. After that, they worship him with rituals and sing folk songs.
According to Vratotsav Sangraha, on this day, by observing fast by drinking milk only once in the day, a woman gets the eternal happiness of her husband and daughter.
The specialty of this fast is that it is observed secretly from the husband. Even the Prasadam of Gangaur Puja are not given to the husband. To know the reason behind this, you should read Gangaur Vrat Katha.
On the third day of Chaitra Navratri, women do sixteen adornments and perform fast and worship and in the evening they read and listen to the story of Gangaur fast. This day is also known as Badi Gangaur. On this day, the idol of Mata Gaura made of sand near a river or lake is given water to drink. The goddess is immersed on the next day of this puja. The place where Gangaur puja is performed is considered as Gangaur's Pehar or maternal house and the place where immersion takes place is considered as her in-laws' house.
On the day of Gangaur Puja, women make jewelery by mixing turmeric in flour, gram flour or flour, which is offered to Goddess Parvati. These ornaments are called Gune. According to beliefs, the more gold coins women offer to Goddess Parvati on the day of Badi Gangaur, the more wealth and prosperity the family receives. After the Puja is over, women give the Guna to their mother-in-law, and sister-in-laws. According to some scholars, the word Guna has become a corruption of the word Jewel.
In Rajasthan, the festival of Gangaur is celebrated as an 18-day festival. There the Gangaur festival starts from Chaitra Krishna Pratipada, the next day of Holika Dahan and ends on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya. In Rajasthan, women worship Isar Ji and Gawarja Ji on this day. During the puja, she sprinkles water from the grass and sings a traditional song called "Gor Gor Gomti".
According to local beliefs, Mata Gawarja comes to her maternal home on the second day of Holi and after eighteen days Isar Ji comes to take her back. Gawarja ji is bid farewell on Chaitra Shukla Tritiya.
In Rajasthan and other rural areas, folk songs sung in the worship of Gangaur are an essential part of this festival. Through the songs of Gangaur, women worship Mother Gawarja as their elder sister and Lord Isar as their brother-in-law. In many areas of Rajasthan, Gangaur worship is mandatory at the time of marriage.
The festival of Gangaur is celebrated on a very large scale in Nimar, Madhya Pradesh. At the conclusion of Gangaur Utsav, Bhandara is organized in every village on the last day. After this, Mata Gawarja is bid farewell along with Isar Ji.
Gangaur Vrat Katha based on Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva and Devarshi Narada is given. In this story, one can read about the Parthiva Shivalinga Puja by Goddess Parvati and the boon received as a result of that Puja.
Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is one of the most auspicious days. This day is ruled by god Vishnu, the preserver-god in the Hindu Trinity.
Hariyali Teej commemorates union of Goddess Parvati with Lord Shiva. This festival is celebrated for marital bliss and well-being of spouse and children.
Next Teej after Hariyali Teej which comes after fifteen days of Hariyali Teej is known as Kajari Teej.
Haritalika Teej comes one month after Hariyali Teej and most of the time celebrated one day before Ganesh Chaturthi.
A detailed description about Goddess Parvati is given here. Goddess Parvati is one of the most popular Goddesses of Hinduism. Goddess Parvati is the consort of Lord Shiva and devotees also call Her by the names Devi Gauri, Devi Uma, Devi Maheshwari etc.
