Gauri Vrat Meaning: What is Gauri Vrat?
Of all the festivals related to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, Gauri Vrat (25th, July 2023 (Tuesday)) is considered to be a significant festival dedicated to Goddess Parvati. ‘Gauri’ is one of the names of Parvati which means ‘brilliantly fair’. It is celebrated majorly in Gujarat and other western parts of India by the unmarried girls to have a husband as good as Shiva in qualities and nature. However, married women can also observe it for the well-being of her husband and family.
This festival begins on the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi and comes to an end after five days on Purnima. It is also known as Morakat Vrat in Gujarat. Also known as Jaya Parvati Vrat, Gauri Vrat is usually or traditionally observed for a period of five days. But there are women who follow it for a period of five or seven years.
How To Celebrate Jaya Parvati Vrat / Gauri Vrat?
Gauri Vrat, or the Gauri Puja, is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. The Vrat is celebrated in the Ashada month as per the Gujarati calendar, beginning from the Ashada Ekadashi or Dev Shayani Ekadashi and till Guru Purnima or Ashad Purnima. These five days are regarded as Panchuka or Gauri Panchak in western parts especially Gujarat of India.
- During this vrat, women abstain from consuming vegetables, salt and tomatoes. It is believed that by such strict observance, one’s gets purified inside out.
- On day one, the family members especially women plant Javara or the wheat seeds in a pot placed nearby the temple in their temple room and worship it. They create a necklace made of cotton wool and decorate it with vermillion.
- They continue to offer water to the wheat seeds in the pot until the final puja is performed on the fifth day of the Vrat in any temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati. On this day, women also break the Vrat with food items made of wheat. Then on the sixth day, they take bath early in the morning and plant the Javara in their garden.
Performing Mahagauri Vrat Puja
Performing this special Mahagauri Puja during this Vrat is highly auspicious. The same Devi is worshipped on the eighth day of Navaratri.
This puja includes:
- Kalash Sthapana
- Gath Sthapana
- Panchang Sthapana
- Invocation of Durga
- Gauri Tilak mandal
- 64 yogini Puja
- Sapthgrihith Matrika Pujan
- Chatukashti Yogini Mangal Pujan
- Shetrapal Pujan
- Swasti Vachan
- Sankalpa
- Ganesh Pujan and Abhishek
- Recitation of Gauri Astottara Satanamavali
- Japa of Maa Maha Gauri Mantra
- Navagraha Yantra Pujan
- Navagraha Mantra Japa
- Homa
- Aarti
- Pushpanjali
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GAURI VRAT / PUJAN STORY, LEGEND OF JAYA PARVATI VRAT
This Vrat is considered to be one of the highly auspicious ritualistic celebrations or festivals. As per the legend, a Brahmin couple who were the devotees of Lord Shiva had everything but child. Pleased with their selfless devotion, Lord Shiva blessed them and asked them to worship a Linga in the forest. No one has ever looked at it or worshipped it. If the couple worships it, their desire would be fulfilled. Soon they were in the forest, worshipping the Lingam daily. Once, the husband went out to fetch fruits for the Lingam. After a while, the wife started getting anxious as he had yet not returned, totally unaware that he has been bitten by a snake. She intensely started praying for lost husband. Seeing her devotion, Lord Shiv was extremely pleased and brought her husband back to life. After this event, the couple began worshipping the Linga and was blessed with a baby boy.