When is Gaura Parva Celeberated?
Gaura is the festival which falls in the month of Bhadra, according to Nepali calendar (August/September). Most of the middle- west and far west parts of Nepal celebrate this festival. It starts from the day of Krishna Janmastami (birth of Lord Krishna), and lasts for three days by worshiping Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati along with Lord Ganesh.
How is Gaura Parva celebrated?
The deuda dance is a major part of this festival in which participants hold hands and form a circle as they step to traditional music. Apart from the many ceremonies that happen during this festival, it is the occasion for married women to put on the sacred thread. The deuda dance is a major part of the festivities in which participants hold hands and form a circle as they step to traditional music.
Deuda is one type of music that has a variety of genres including Thadi Bhakha, Raheri and others, presented in western region of Nepal. Specially this type of music is present in (Sudur paschim) Far West region of Nepal and many regions in (madhya-paschim) Mid Western part of Nepal. Specially, the Gaura Festival is celebrated by the Hindus that reside in the far-western part of Nepal.
Why is Gaura Parva celebrated?
There are many tales regarding the origin of the Gaura. However, this day focuses on worshipping the goddess Gauri, the wife of Lord Shiva for their husbands health and long age.
The main theme of this festival is to worship goddess Gauri, so, on this day many temples of the goddess get different rituals, like prayers and worship with Biruda (Biruda is a mixture of five seeds of crops used for worshipping and blessing during the Gaura Festival. The mixture is made up of gahat, guraus, kalau, gahu and mash). Upon completion worshiping at the temple, the women who are fasting return home and bless their keens with Biruda, it is supposed to give them long life and health.
On the day of Krishna Janmastami women continue their fasting. Later that day, the women make an idol of Shiva and Parvati with grass. They also offer a mixture of five kinds of grains, known as Panchbirudi. This festival is also called Biruda Parva, by reason of Panchabirudi and women put on new clothes and enjoy singing their traditional songs.
According to legend, the festival is said to have been celebrated for the last four centuries, in memory of Satidevi’s bodily sacrifice to the burning altar and her re-birth from Himalaya Parvat.
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