Gangaur or Gauri Tritiya
I had just come back from two days riding camels through the desert landscapes outside Bikaner. It had been a wonderful, peaceful experience completely different to the constant noise and movement of the Indian cities we had been enjoying. But napped and showered I was feeling restless, and the sound and sense of excitement was wafting over the garden walls of our home stay.So off I went into the largely innocuous streets of Bikaner, which although not without its charms, isn’t high on most people’s India itinerary. But as I’ve remarked before, the best thing about travel is when an unmapped day brings a beautiful surprise. There is no way to say this without sounding like a cliche, but I followed the sound of drums to find where the excitement was coming from and pretty soon I arrived at a small park square. Inside was a group of women of all ages, dressed in their best, dancing energetically despite the heat. After absorbing the atmosphere from the edge of the park, I held my camera up and asked if I could take a few photos. This was met with a welcome smile and in fact, the revellers turned my way and pulled me into the throng. After a few more shots I couldn’t help but join in the dancing myself. I was welcomed into the throe and shown a few moves, and then it was my turn to be photographed by dozens of cellphones. Naturally I couldn’t say no.
Later I began to suspect that this was a special day, as I continued to wander round Bikaner and see more and more of these gatherings. As I passed each one, once spotted, I was pulled in to the dancing and invited to take photos. Some had music provided by traditional drummers, others were following behind walls of speakers mounted on trucks, blasting out the loudest beats possible, with a few rogue boys following behind, throwing themselves in front of my camera and trying to get in on the act.
I asked our host about the reason for the celebrations but he just kept saying “It’s a ladies’ festival”. A bit of research when I got home and turned my attention back to these photos revealed it was Gangaur or Gauri Tritiya. It is a spring festival which celebrates marital fidelity and is celebrated by worshippers of Parvati, or Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva. This 18 day festival is mostly celebrated in the Northern states of India and during this time women may choose to keep a fast: unmarried women do so to find a husband; married women for the health and well-being of their husband and family. Along with acts of puja, the festival culminates with wooden or clay images of Pavarti dressed in new garments, being placed on the head of married women, and processed to a garden or well. In the evening these idols are immersed in water. Women will often decorate their hands with geometric designs and wear red saris to celebrate what is characterised as a very fun festival.
I know these photos won’t win any prizes. The light in the hazy midday heat was flat, the backgrounds were chaotic, and I didn’t have time to change to my 50mm lens. The colours of the saris were almost overwhelming. But I love the way they look in monochrome, particularly with the henna designs too. And I love the fun and excitement that comes across in the images. The sense of enjoyed chaos and how the women are interacting with the camera.
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