Gaura festival begins in Farr-west: A celebration of tradition, women’s reverence, and cultural heritage
Kanchanpur: The vibrant Gaura Festival has begun across villages in Nepal's Far West, drawing home those who had migrated elsewhere for employment. During the festival, women dressed in new clothes sing Mangal and Phag, while men engage in traditional games, maintaining the region's rich cultural heritage.
Celebrated from Putrada Ekadashi of Shrawan, the festival, locally called Gora, honors Gauradevi, the divine form of Shaktiswarupa Parvati, daughter of the mountain king Himalaya and Menaka. The festival, observed in Bhadra, follows the lunar calendar: Gaura on the Shukla side is Uzyali Gaura, and on the Krishna side is Anyari Gaura, with Uzyali Gaura considered especially sacred. Married women participate by wearing dubdhago, symbolically observing the Putrada Ekadashi fast and soaking Biruda, a mixture of five grains (meat, gahat, wheat, kalau, and gurus).
The rituals begin with the preparation of a copper tauli decorated with cow dung, dubo, and jauntil, accompanied by auspicious songs Sagun and Phag. The soaked Biruda is washed five times in a water source, and a small Gaura idol made from sawadhan is worshiped with Biruda, sandalwood, Akshata, leaves, incense, lamps, and fruits. On Saptami, girls craft a Gaura idol from the fields, wrap it in red cloth or a shawl, and install it at home alongside Maheshwar. Women gather in the evening at Goraghar, anoint the idol, and worship Gauramaheshwar along with Panchapurvaanga.
The festival reaches its spiritual peak on Durvasthami, known locally as Athiyawali, when women bring the goddess to the courtyard, worship her with Biruda, and participate in a religious narrative. Following Athiyawali, fruits and Biruda are ceremonially thrown towards the cardinal directions and sky, collected as the goddess's Prasad, and used to bless all family members.
Post-festival, men and women engage in traditional games such as Dholak, Dhushka, Dhamari, Thadokhel, Chait, and double Deuda, with the Gaura idol eventually immersed at a sacred site.
Folklore expert Ramesh Pant Meetbandhu emphasizes that Gaura Festival not only preserves the unique cultural identity of the Far West but also highlights the central role and respect of women in the community. The festival encourages families to purchase new clothing, welcome guests, and strengthen social and cultural bonds. From religious rituals to social gatherings, Gaura remains a festival of profound religious, social, cultural, literary, mythological, and historical significance.