Visions of women dressed in green, large processions of people holding up Parvati’s idol as it makes its way to get immersed in the river or pond nearby, a chain of humanity, love in their eyes, music on their lips and hope in their heart. Reliving the romance of Ghoomar and the story it stands for
By Priyamvada Singh
As Gangaur remains a relatively understated affair this year, the noble families of Mewar, Marwar and Shekhawati offer a throwback into the glorious festivities of the pre-pandemic era.
Ever since I shifted to my ancestral village Meja a few years ago after a long stint in Mumbai, I
began to realise that one of the best things about residing in rural Rajasthan in the scorching heat
of April is that you get to witness the fortnight long festivities of Gangaur in all its pomp and
pageantry. The celebrations commence with the advent of the Chaitra month of the Hindu
calendar and continue for eighteen days culminating on Teej.
Each year, from the day following Holi, the corridors of Meja Fort resonate with the laughter of
giggly village girls who arrive here straight after school carrying festive garments in their
schoolbags. More giggles and quick makeovers later, these excited teenagers step out donning
vibrant ghaghra-odnis gorgeously accessorized with colourful bangles and ethnic jewellery. Singing
the Isar-Gangaur song in perfect harmony, they gather around and pray to the pindiyas – round
shaped figurines made with ashes of the Holi pyre considered to be symbolic representations of
Gangaur.
Elaborating upon this tradition, my grandmother Maaji Saheb Hansa Kumari of Meja explains,
“Gan signifies Lord Shiv or Isar Ji and Gaur denotes Gauri or Goddess Parvati. Gangaur is revered as the
perfect embodiment of conjugal bliss so women pray to her for marital accord and unmarried girls pray with the
hope of being blessed with ideal life partners.” The pragmatist in me knows that these prayers may or
may not be answered, but the optimist in me silently prays along with them – hoping their wish is
granted. As my grandmother says, “Hope can be a powerful force. When you hold on to hope like a light
within yourself, the universe sometimes conspires to make things happen – almost like magic.”
Echoing my grandmother’s sentiments is Rani Manjushree Kumari of Bhadrajun who has been
diligently doing the Gangaur pooja since her adolescence. She likes to believe that divine
intervention may have played its part in finding her a perfect match in Raja Karanveer Singh Ji
about three decades ago. “I used to pray to these tiny idols of Isar-Gangaur at my parental home for years.
When I got married, I brought them along from Poongal-Bikaner to Bhadrajun. Each year, I pray before them
throughout the festival, and on the last day, I pray to the big ancestral idols along with family and the people of
our village.”
Public participation has always been an integral part of this festival and people come together
irrespective of their social milieus to celebrate one of the most revered female divinities. The eve
of Gangaur holds special significance for the potter community as they are visited by a pageant
of women dolled-up in fineries accompanied by local musicians to bring home the ladolas or clay
idols of Isar-Gangaur. The procession receives a grand welcome on return to the forts and
palaces across Rajasthan followed by an evening of festive revelry.
“The final day begins with the pooja of the clay idols with sprouted jawar (sorghum) germinated over a fortnight at
home” says Kawarani Rudrangda Kumari of Kankarwa. “An array of ornaments get made for the
Gangaur using Besan (gram flour dough) and it is rather intriguing to see pieces of traditional jewellery from head
to toe like the tevta (a regal neckpiece), rakhdi (a spherical maang tika), baajubandh (armlets), paijeb (anklets),
etc. being created with such an unusual ingredient. The last day is considered as the day of Gangaur’s departure
from her parental home to her husband’s abode so this jewellery forms a part of her trousseau.”Most noble families have their ancestral idols passed down through generations and many ofthem have captivating stories attached to them. Rani Sugan Kumari of Bedla shares thefascinating history of her family’s fragmented Gangaur whose body was damaged during a battlemany years ago and what remains is just the head. “The idol cannot be repaired as per tradition but it isdressed in a way that its disability is not revealed and reverently worshipped year after year.”Baisa Swati Kumari of Chanoud narrates an interesting tale about a century old miniatureGangaur in the possession of her family. “We have the regular size wooden idols just like other noblefamilies but our mini Gangaur was fashioned more than a hundred years ago exclusively for the convenience of
little girls to pray during the festival.” The silver coating embossed on this idol has withered with time
but the delicate figurine glazed with natural colours beautifully adorns a stone niche at Chanoud
Fort even today.
Another anecdote that deserves special mention is about the Gangaur of Kota which was
tactfully stolen by Kunwar Lal Singh of Gogunda on being challenged by the Maharana of
Mewar. Rajrana Rohitashva Singh relates how his ancestor appeared before the Maharaja of Kota
disguised as a skilled rider who could make the wooden Gangaur dance on his horse. “Once he got
hold of the Gangaur, he heroically escaped from there and presented it to Maharana Saab on return. Rewarding
his daring act, Maharana Saab asked him to retain this Gangaur at Gogunda. This idol remains a major
attraction during our procession every year.”
Processions are carried out throughout the state on the last day of the festival for which the idols
are dressed in ceremonial poshaks and traditional ornaments. They are first seated in the zenana
chowk where women offer their prayers and later brought out in the mardana chowk where the men
seek their blessings. While the women indulge in ghoomar, men perform the gair dance – a local
equivalent of the dandiya. Certain families enact the entire wedding ceremony between Isar and
Gangaur. Rani Kavita Kumari of Kharwa reveals how their family’s sole Isar weds their two
Gangaurs each year completing four pheras with one idol and three with the other!
After the initial ceremonies at the royal residences, the processions head out in the respective
villages. One of the most distinguishing characteristics about the Gangaur procession in
Mandawa is that parallel celebrations take place in the abodes of the kingdom’s two founders
Padam Singh Ji and Gyan Singh Ji, as accounted by Thakurani Manjul Kumari of Mandawa.
“There have always been two sets of Isar-Gangaurs which are taken out every year for the procession. Care is
taken to ensure that neither one of them is even slightly ahead of the other. In earlier days, this was reason enough
for swords to be drawn and a skirmish to take place!”
In its last lap, the regal spectacle passes through lanes and by-lanes of the villages accompanied
by colourful dancers, indigenous musicians and a sparkling display of fireworks. Making a final
halt at a nearby lake or pond, the convoy performs the pooja one last time before immersing the
eco-friendly clay idols – the pindiyas and ladolas in water. This signifies Goddess Parvati’s farewell
to Lord Shiv’s abode from her parental home. As emotional songs of vidaai reverberate under
starlit summer skies, heavy hearts and tearful eyes lovingly bid adieu to the dissolving effigies of
Gangaur, while the tangible wooden idols return to their chambers in the forts and palaces to
hibernate for the next twelve months.