A Folk Tale On Gangaur
Gauri feels complete in Shiva’s presence. Yet there are times when she misses her parents and childhood home. When she expresses her feelings to Shiva, He agrees to accompany her to her parents’ home.
But Gauri looks at Shiva squarely and says, “You O Shiva are a yogi. Remember how you scared my mother and friends out of their wits when you came to marry me? My people back home don’t understand your divinity or wisdom. Let’s not create fodder for gossip again. Let me go there alone.”
Shiva looks at her sheepishly and says, “O Gauri, I don’t think I can stay away from you anymore.” Gauri smiles and firmly says, “A fortnight is a mere instant for yogis like you O Shiva. I’ll be back before you even begin to miss me.” Shiva reluctantly agrees to let her go.
Initially, Gauri feels overjoyed to meet her parents and friends. But it does not take her long to realize that her heart and thoughts are always with Shiva. She wonders how He was living without her.
Shiva too misses Gauri deeply. So, He disguises Himself as a trinket seller and goes to Gauri’s town. When Gauri sees the intricate patterns on the trinkets, she stops her friends from haggling with the trinket seller and says, “Can’t you appreciate the rawness of these handmade trinkets? Shiva and I appreciate such things. You say they look crude. But these designs have such a symbolic significance. Never mind. I doubt if any of you will understand what I am trying to say. Only my Shiva can understand my thoughts properly.”
Gauri feels surprised by the sudden rush of her emotions. She realizes that she misses Shiva. Deeply. But Gauri was Gauri. She flits from one emotion to another with ease. She looks defiantly at her sakhis, looks at the amused trinket seller fiercely and says, “I’ll buy all your trinkets.” And without waiting for the trinket seller’s response, Gauri marches off with all his wares – without paying him.
The trinket seller chuckles loudly when he sees Gauri’s wrath and says, “What a passionate and astute woman!” He then shrugs his shoulders casually and disappears from there – much to the shock of Gauri’s sakhis.
When Gauri realizes that she has forgotten to pay the trinket seller, she goes out in search of him. And wonders why she cannot find him anywhere. Yet, strangely she does not feel too perturbed by his absence either.
A few days later, Shiva, the trinket seller manifests again outside Gauri’s house with chunris. When Gauri sees the exquisitely designed chunris, she decides to buy them all. She asks the chunri seller to quote his price for the trinkets that she had bought from him earlier and for the chunris too. Shiva looks at her indulgently and says, “O lovely woman, the trinkets and these chunris are priceless. Only special people like you buy it.”
But Gauri misunderstands his words and says, “You have immense knowledge of your craft and design your wares perfectly. Don’t undermine yourself. Quote your price. I will be happy to pay you whatever you ask for.”
The chunri maker says, “No dear woman. Only the most gifted people appreciate my knowledge. I am not interested in monetary benefits. But since you insist on paying me, I would be delighted to share a meal with you. I’m sure I’ll enjoy your company as much as you enjoy mine. For it is rare indeed to find a woman like you – who knows exactly what she wants, does what she feels is right, creates and lives in a world of her own making.”
Gauri brushes off the shoe maker’s astute remarks with a shrug and invites him home for lunch. While they are sharing their lunch, Shiva reveals himself to her. Gauri is so stunned to see Shiva there that words fail her.
That is when Shiva imparts his yogic wisdom to her and says, “O Gauri, how naïve you are. You still have a lot to learn about the ways of the world. You were scared that the people of your town would mock me. So, you asked me not to accompany you here. But don’t you realize that people are laughing at you right now too, behind your back of course, because you did not think twice about sharing a meal with a mere trinket seller.
People will always have something to say about anything you do. Such are the ways of the mortal world. But, you as a yogi’s wife, have to consciously rise above such worldly trivialities and connect to the supreme consciousness that prevails in the cosmos.”
But Gauri brushes aside Shiva’s words, vents out her wrath on Shiva and says, “Shiva, how dare you play such pranks on me in front of my family. You are as guileless as ever. You could have imparted your wisdom to me after I returned home. But such thoughts never even occur to you. You have embarrassed me with your antics Shiva.”
But when Gauri sees Shiva’s crestfallen face, she realizes the immense wisdom contained in Shiva’s words. And Gauri is Gauri. She flits from one emotion to another with elan. She decides to set things right in her life. Once and for all. She embraces Shiva tightly in front of everyone and says, “I love my husband just the way He is. I am not ashamed of marrying Shiva. For I Gauri am the wife of the Yogi Shiva.”
But Gauri is Gauri. She flits from one emotion to another with ease. Again. She puts her hands on her waist, looks at Shiva with determination and says, “O Shiva, of what use is your yogic wisdom if you scare your bhaktas with your uncouth appearance and crude mannerisms. You may be immortal. You may have outgrown all your hungers. But who will feed the hungers of your mortal bhaktas? Snap out of your aloofness and include them in your life too. Transform yourself so that they too can connect to your divinity O Shiva. Right now. Else….”
This time Shiva silences Gauri by hugging her tightly and says, “I promise you, Gauri, I will learn all the cultural norms of the world from you and adhere to them from now on.”
From then on, Gauri’s parents and friends find it easy to befriend Shiva and appreciate His wisdom too. And Gauri feels happy and proud when Shiva escorts her back home.
The festival of Gangaur
Women worship clay idols of Gangaur to reaffirm the value of respect and understanding in marriage. After 16 days, they perform the visarjan of their idols which symbolises the return of Shiva and Gauri to Kailash.
Gangaur in Pushti Marg
In Pushti Marg, we depict Krishna’s love for Radha and His sakhis on Gangaur. Like Shiva and Gauri, Krishna’s love for his sakhis too is based on love, mutual understanding and respect. He may disappear when Radha and her sakhis become proud. But He cannot live without them either. Just as they cannot live without him. For even an instant.
We seat Krishna in a Phool Mandali made of pink roses and celebrate Gangaur on 4 days. We create a different coloured ambience in our mandirs. And recreate the different bhaavs (the different aspects of love) that Radhaji, Chandravaliji, Lalithaji and Yamunaji had for Krishna.
Yes, we can learn a lot from this beautiful festival called Gangaur.
Phool Mandali Photos given by: Hardevji.
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