Bajura: Locals of the Sudurpaschim Province celebrate the Gaura festival, also known as Gaura Parba, with much gusto.
Gaura festival is a major festival for Nepalis living in Sudurpaschim Province. As per the belief, Goddess Parbati aka Gauri Devi married Lord Shiva after observing a fast with all her devotion to get Shiva as her husband. The Gaura festival has been observed to commemorate the marriage of Gauri Devi and Lord Shiva.
The government had announced a public holiday in the Province to celebrate the festival today.
To mark the beginning of the festival, all the married women soak five different types of grains including wheat, black gram, and peas in water in a copper pot on the first day. The five grains are collectively called ‘Biruda’ in the local dialect and are taken as Prasad.
On the second day, women fast and prepare portraits of Goddess Gaura Devi in the wee hours near the source of water.
The festival is also celebrated in some parts of Uttarakhand in India.
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