06/09/2024
In Karnataka and much of South India, **Gowri Habba** is a significant and joyous occasion where families come together to celebrate. The festival is marked by a variety of rituals and traditions that emphasize the importance of familial bonds, particularly those of married women. One of the key customs involves the parents of married women sending gifts and money, known as **Mangala-Dravya**, to their daughters. This gesture symbolizes blessings and the continued well-being of their daughters in their marital homes.
The festival also brings communities together as friends and family gather to prepare and enjoy an array of **prasadam** (sacred offerings), which include traditional South Indian dishes such as **payasa** (a sweet pudding), **obbattu** (a stuffed sweet flatbread), **bajji** (a deep-fried snack), and **holige** (another variety of sweet stuffed flatbread). These delights are prepared with great devotion and are offered to the deity, embodying the spirit of sharing and togetherness that defines the festival.
"Gowri Habba", also known as "Swarna Gowri Vratam", is particularly prominent in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. This festival is dedicated to "Goddess Parvati" (Gowri), who is worshipped as the embodiment of marital bliss, fertility, and prosperity. Celebrated on the **Tritiya Tithi** (third day) of the "Shukla Paksha" (waxing phase of the moon) in the month of "Bhadrapada", the festival typically falls a day before "Ganesha" Chaturthi**.
Goddess Gowri is revered as the source of strength and well-being in family life, and married women observe this festival to pray for the long life and prosperity of their husbands. Unmarried women also participate, seeking blessings for a good husband. The festival is closely associated with "Ganesha Chaturthi", as Goddess Gowri is the mother of Lord Ganesha. The placement of Gowri idols alongside Ganesha idols in homes during the festival symbolizes the harmony and unity of the family.
The festival is steeped in Hindu mythology and cultural practices, with sacred texts such as the "Skanda Purana", "Shiva Purana", and the **Mahabharata** recounting Parvati’s penance to marry Lord Shiva. These stories highlight her virtues as an ideal wife and mother, making Gowri Habba a celebration of marital devotion and family unity.
The Puja procedures for Gowri Habba are detailed and involve cleaning the home, decorating an idol of Goddess Gowri, and placing it on a clean platform. Women take a **Sankalpa** (vow) to perform the rituals for their family's welfare, invoking the goddess with mantras, offering "Panchamrit", and presenting sweets and fruits. The rituals conclude with an "Arati" and the tying of a sacred thread around married women’s wrists, symbolizing protection and the goddess's blessings. The exchange of **kumkum** and turmeric among women strengthens bonds of sisterhood, and the festival concludes with the distribution of **prasad** and **tamboolam** (gifts) to family and friends.
**Gowri Habba** is immediately followed by **Ganesha Chaturthi**, celebrated the next day. This connection symbolizes Lord Ganesha’s return to take his mother, Gowri, back to Mount Kailasha, emphasizing the deep bond between mother and son. The dual worship of Gowri and Ganesha during these festivals enhances their spiritual significance, making this period one of joy, devotion, and familial togetherness across South India.
In 2024, Gowri Habba will be celebrated on **6th September**, with the Tadige Tithi beginning at 12:21 PM on 5th September and ending at 03:01 PM on 6th September. The preparations include decorating homes with **diyas** (lamps) and **rangolis** (colorful patterns), adorning the idol of Goddess Gowri with new clothes and ornaments, and performing rituals that set the stage for welcoming Lord Ganesha the following day.
In North India, the festival is known by the name **Hartalika**, and it is observed with similar fervor, though the customs may vary slightly. Despite these regional variations, the underlying theme of honoring the goddess and seeking her blessings for marital bliss and family welfare remains central to the celebrations.
