GOWRI
TRITEEYA-SWARNA GOWRI VRATA
(DISCOURSE BY N. R. SRINIVASAN, SEPTEMBER 2012)
Being the
daughter of Himavaan (snow clad mountains of Himalayas) Parvati has to be
white. So she is also popularly called Gowrii meaning the bright one
which could also mean the intellectual one (Uma as celeberarted as the most
intellectual in Upanishads). Swarna Gowri Vrata is essentially of South Indian
Origin, popular in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu celebrated or
observed on the Bhadrapad Sukla Triteeya day, a day before Ganesha Chaturthi.
It is popularly known as Gowri Habba in Karnataka. In North India, more
popularly in Maharashtra this is celebrated as Hartalika festival. In
Rajasthan Gangaur festival is celebrated over several days in the month of
Chaitra. It commemorates the union of Siva (Gana) and Parvati (Gauri).
Hence the festival is called Gan-gaur. In Goa, North Konkan and
Kerala it is celebrated as Tay or Tayi. This is observed as ritual
(Vrata) in some parts and as festival in some other parts propitiating
Goddess Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesha. She is worshiped in the Kalasa Form as
Jalagauri as well as Harita Gauri , as a mound of turmeric. A vrata
is a special vow observed to ensure the prosperity and security of
one's household .
It is
also customary to worship the clay idols of Gowri (Parvati) and
then give her a warm send off after worship by immersion in flowing waters.
This Vrata is observed by married women propitiating goddess Gauri
seeking prosperity and welfare of their husbands. Newly-weds in olden days used
to undergo the nuptials ceremony on this day so that consummation takes place
hopefully in the beginning of colder months and delivery takes place after nine
months in summer so that the born child would be less prone to infections. This
practice is fast vanishing. Those who observe this day as Vrata also tie an arm
band of sacred thread around their wrists with the blessings of Devi. In
Karnataka "Baageena" forms the essential part of the function. Holy
bath (Mangala Snaana) and wearing new clothes form the essential
part of the celebrations. Bageena consists of a number of items offered
in a willow painted with turmeric and offered to Goddess first and then
distributed or exchanged among married ladies. It contains packets of turmeric,
vermilion, black bangles, black-beads, cereals (rice, toor dal, green dal)
coarse wheat, jaggery etc. It is believed that on Ganesha Chaturthi day,
Ganesha being the elder son goes to her mother-parent’s house and takes her
back to Kailasa. In this connection please to recall your memory to the
popular belief in Bengal that Parvati (who is seen as a manifestation of Durga)
visits her father's house with her daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati and her sons
Ganesha and Kartikeya on the sixth day of Navaratri. On the tenth day she
returns back to her husband. Everybody mourns her departure (Vidhaai).
Parvati,
the consort of Siva is worshiped in two forms: as Gauri holding a child and as
Kaali dancing amid corpses. Kaali represents wild
nature--uncontrollable and almighty. As Gauri, the Goddess is
depicted wearing a green sari, bedecked in the sixteen love-charms (sola
singar) and sitting demurely beside her husband. Gauri represents sex and the
life-giving aspect of Nature. Gauri also represents the domesticated aspect of
Nature, the fields, the farms, the villages. She is popularly worshiped as
Gauri in the South and as Kaali in Bengal.
Harita is
the goddess of verdant vegetation and her presence is felt all through the
month of Bhadrupada in lush green fields. She is Gowri, mother of
Ganesha, the Lord of Obstacles. Gowri gave birth to Ganesha without the
help of her consort Siva as you all know. She created him by molding the
paste of her skin according to Puranas. That is why he is worshiped as
turmeric lump symbolically. The divine mother is worshiped on the third day of
Sukla Bhadrupada. On the fourth day the son is worshiped. Idols of mother and
son are bedecked with flowers and offered sweets and incense before being given
a warm send off and immersed in water after five days usually.
Sarvamangala maangalye sive sarvaartha sadhake
| saranye trayambake Gowri Naraayani namostu te ||
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