Swarna Gowri Vratha/Pooja is celebrated by girls and women in Karnataka and Andhara Pradesh. Goddess Gowri is the mother of Lord Ganesha. This festival falls in the hindu month of Bhadrapada, August – September by Gregorian calender. For the festival date click here. This pooja has a special significance for married women as it is believed that Goddess Parvati or Gauri blesses the husbands with longevity, wealth and prosperity.
A clay idol of Goddess Gauri is kept on a small silver or copper plate filled with rice. A small pyramid is also molded out of Turmeric paste to represent Gowri. The pooja is performed by the women with the priest in the background chanting mantras and giving instructions. The goddess is showered with many pooja items like flowers, leaves, kumkum, turmeric powder and 16 line Gejjevastra.
Picture – 16 line Gejjevastra
A thread colored with turmeric powder with 16 knots is worshipped by the women and this will be tied on their right hand by the other women. On this day women buy new clothes and glass bangles and wear these during the pooja.
Delicious food is prepared on this day and offered to the goddess. Dishes like Chitranna (colored rice), Payasa (pudding), Kayi Holige (a sweet bread stuffed with coconut mixture), Tovve, Saru /Rasam, Kayi Kadabu, Palya (Vegetable dish), Kosambari (salad) and Ambode or bhajji (deep fried fritters) are prepared and relished together by everyone at home.
After the pooja, women exchange decorated bamboo plates (mora) filled with nine types of grain (navadhanya), along with Jaggery, bangles, turmeric, a blouse piece, kumkum, betel leaves, fruits and nuts and dakshina/money. This is known as Morada Bagina. Women perform the pooja at their maternal homes as a mark of respect and gratitude to their parents.
The next day, Gowri is given a warm visarjana / send off by offering Udi (offering all the sacred items like Turmeric, Flowers, Vermilion, Blouse piece, Rice, Betel nuts and leaf, Dry fruits, Turmeric root and dry Coconut) and the clay idol is immersed in water along with Lord Ganesha’s idol.
Picture – Gowri Udi
For festival food recipes click here.
For festival snacks and drinks recipes click here.
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Naveen:I love doing Gowri and Ganapathi puja!
Kalyani:You did a great job explaining this great festival,especially helps the younger generations to understand and practice our festivals and traditions.
Naveen:I think it’s fun to practice our religion and culture…XD
gowri vratha- with songs
we want mantra in gowri vratha & also ganesha. we search more and more.but not here in net.
I am in USA past few years. we celiberate Gowri VRatha. when i seen the gowri Alankaara, i miss my pooja celeberation in india with mallige hoovu and mannina gowri, and baale kamba,morada baagina.
I would like to thanks for your great pictures.
Today i am really missing my INDIA
Dear Suananda,
I can understand your thoughts and thanks for stopping by…Please keep reading, I intend to put lot more content and pictures of India, which might just blow away your home sickness.
Keep smiling!
Shantha
Hooooo !!!!!!!!!! dear im missing home amma dad akka pooja ballege dudu
i want to perfom balle pooje can u plz tell me
I live in australia all by myself
Dear Namratha,
You can perform the pooja anyway you like, it is the will that matters the most. Sorry dear, I did not understand what balle pooje is all about?
Have wonderful festival season.
Regards,
Shantha
i am v.happy to see all the information given for festival .by seeing picture of goddes gowri ,i am v.happy
Hi Shantha,
The details you provided is really informative, I am a newly mairred girl and wanted to be prepared with somebackgroud before i do the pooja tommarw. it will be helpful if you can share if there are any specifics a newly married girl should follow apart form the above ?
Thanks Suma. The rituals are no different for married women.
Happy Gowri Ganesha.
Shantha
Thanks Pankaja.
Madam
Kindly provide Ele Ashtami pooja in detail. Particularly Uttaradi Matha (from the beginig i.e. Shravanamasa – Fridays).
Please see: http://www.itslife.in/festivals/ele-ashtami