Festive Celebration: Gangaur Festival in Philadelphia

April 11 :
Gangaur, a Hindu festival, was recently observed at Philadelphia's Bharatiya Hindu Temple. Women in northern and western India commemorate the festival, which heralds the onset of spring and harvest, mostly. Participants in the ceremony at the Bharatiya Hindu Temple carried wooden idols of Gaur and Isar, created by Jodhpur craftsman Prahlad Kumawat / Special arrangement, during a procession that included ancient rites.

Participants in the festival at the Bharatiya Hindu Temple carried wooden idols of Gaur and Isar, created by Jodhpur craftsman Prahlad Kumawat, during a parade that included ancient rites.

By showcasing Rajasthan's rich cultural past and advocating sustainability through the use of wood, the elaborate idols served as eco-conscious reminders.

Honoured guests include Jeanne Sorg, mayor of Ambler Township, Tarang Soni, president of ROAR in New Jersey, and Mukesh Modi, a film producer, writer, and director in Hollywood and Bollywood in New York. Attendees included Montgomery Township Supervisor Tanya Bamford, Indian Business Association of New Jersey secretary Sharad Agrawal, and volunteers from SEVA USA.

The children shared their findings on the heroes, landmarks, cuisine, and history of Rajasthan / Special setup In honour of the 75th anniversary of the state's creation, the festivities took place at the same time as Rajasthan Divas. The community's knowledge of their heritage was enhanced as children shared their studies on the history, cuisine, landmarks, and heroes of Rajasthan. While in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh it is known as Saubhagya Gauri Vratam, in Maharashtra and Karnataka it is known as Chaitra Gauri Vrat.