GAURI VRAT OR GAURI PUJA IN ASHADHA MONTH
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Gauri Vrat
Gauri vrat is a significant fasting period dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri. Mata Gauri is also known as maa Parvati. It is also know as Morakat Vrat.
It is mainly observed in Gujarat. The fasting of Gauri Puja is mainly observed by unmarried and young girls to get good husbands. However, it is also observed by married women for the well being of their husband.
It is celebrated in the month of Ashadha for 5 days. It begins on Shukla Paksha of Ashadha Ekadashi i.e Devshayani Ekadashi and ends on Ashadha Guru Purnima. It is also known as Panchuka or Gauri Panchak Puja.
During the 5 days, salt is strictly prohibited. Food consumed is strictly made up of wheat, milk and ghee. Different types of fruits can be consumed.
Gauri Vrat Pujan Vidhi
On the first day of Gauri Vrat girls and women wake up early in the morning and take bath and take sankalp of observing this fast for 5 days. After that they place photo of Shiva-Parvati on chauki with red cloth placed on it. They do panchopachar puja and read Gauri Vrat Katha and do arti. They ask for getting their wish fulfilled. In this way they do puja for 5 days with fasting.
Those observing Gauri Vrat, grow jawara /wheat in an earthen pot on the first day of the Gauri Vrat. They water everyday to this jawara/wheat pot. A mala made up of cotton is made and it is decorated with vermillion and jawara pot is worshipped everyday.
Final puja on fifth day is done in a temple dedicated to mata Gauri/Parvati. On the 5th day women break the fast by having food made up of wheat. On the 5th night, girls and women do jaagran and it is believed that they get a good husband by observing this vrat.
On the 6th day, they take bath in morning and plant the jawara in their garden.
Vrat Katha Of Gauri Vrat or Morakat Vrat
There was a Brahmin couple who
was a great devotee of Shiva. They were happy and prosperous and had almost
everything that they ever wanted. They did not have a child.
They wanted a child desperately, and they worshipped Lord Shiva in His temple.
Lord Shiva was greatly touched by the devotion of this Brahmin couple. He
revealed Himself to the couple and told them that there was a Linga in the
jungle and nobody worshipped the same. He wanted the couple to go to that part
of the jungle and worship the Linga. He also mentioned that if they worship the
Linga, they would be blessed with what they wanted. The couple decided to go
and worship the Linga. They found the place that was left abandoned for ages.
Once they found the Linga, the Brahmin went to look for flowers to offer to the
Linga, while the women stayed back. Unfortunately, a snake attacked the
Brahmin, and he became unconscious instantly. The woman started becoming
anxious when she realized that her husband had long gone and did not return yet.
She set out looking for him and kept praying intensely for the safety of her
husband.
Lord Shiva was moved by the love of the woman for her husband and her devotion
towards Him. He brought the consciousness of the husband back. After this, the
couple went back to the spot where the Linga was, prayed, and were finally
blessed with a beautiful and healthy baby boy. This is the legend behind the
great Gauri Vrat.
Gauri Mata Ki Aarati
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