Saturday, July 25, 2009

Mangala Gowri Vratha.

Mangala Gowri vratha is observed for five years of marriage on all Tuesdays in the month of sravan, praying for the long life of the husband. At the time of marriage the grooms mother presents the bride with the silver Mangala Gowri image.
Articles needed for the puja are silver Mangala Gowri, haldhi, kumkum, gejavastra flowers, three blouse peices, Two are to be folded into triangles.[ fold the the blouse peice length wise to make a long strip, now fold one end like a tiangle and keep on folding it thus till you come to the end and tuck in the last bit into the fold. Fold the another on like wise.]A plank, Full chana soaked overnight [250grams will do] one copra[dry coconut]cut into two, haldi powder, maida or wheat flour, a knife for kajal.
For naividys 18 fried PHALA. For this make pooran as for poli, make the covering with maida dough rolled into small puris, put alittle puran fold seal and deep fry. USE only new oil to fry.
with same maida dough make 5 nos small cups and fry for the arathi.
The girl who is to perform the puja should take a oil bath. Clean the place where the mangala Gowri is to kept , Keep the plank, draw rangoli and spread one blouse peice on it.
To a teaspoon of haldhi add 3/4 teaspoon of maida , make stiff dough and make two cups , for lamps. In two table spoons of haldhi powder add a tespoon of maida and make a stiff dough and make five gopurams in a group [this is Gowri which has to be kept for all the five weeks]Drain the water from the soaked chana.
PLacement on the plank. Top two ends keep the two triangles, below it keep the halfed copra with a little chana. Middle keep the silver mangala gowri, below it keep the haldhi gowri.Bottom two sides keep the lamps made of dough with wick and oil.
To start the puja worship tulasi. Light the lamps made of dough. Worship the water kept for puja { with a prayer }Take a udharni of water with a flower sprikle water over both the Gowris.THEn alitlle milk with a flower, and water again in the same way. worship with haldhi powder then geja vastra, again haldhi powder gandha , kum kum flowers. [ use only good sweet smelling flowers]. light all the lamps and offer the naividya along with coconut , banana, soaked chana pan supari.
Lasly light the lamps in fried cups , offer the arathi to gowri then hold the knife over it till it forms black soot on it, this is the kajal.take this with a flower and apply to the Gowri.then the girl who has performed the pujas applys for herself. Give thambula to savashnis with pan supari chane banana or coconut, and offer the kajal.Lastly seek their blessings by doing namaskaro each savashni after giving the thambula. The naividya of 18 phalas are to eaten by the husband and wife only.Dakshina has also be given with the thambula.
The story of Mangala Gowri is to be read in the morning or evening.
 There is also a custom  that the Husbands mother gives  VAAN to the girls  on any one  Manala Gowri puja in the five Years. The Vaan is in a Thambya -- (pithal Thambya)  wheat is put along with a   metal snake --ie that Silver  or Pancha loha  is put into it and tied with a choli. The girls mother is invited, festival food served and this Vaan is presented to her  along with Haldhi kumkum and flowers etc.







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