Ritu Maheshwari
India Post News Service
PLEASANTON, CA: Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (MMNA-SV) celebrated Gangaur Picnic on April 2nd, 2022 at Ken Mercer Park. A bright sunny day was the perfect setting for over 100 families to gather after a long pandemic-induced gap. A lot of fun-filled games and contests were there. A mehndi booth was also provided.
MMNA-SV president Prashant Jhanwar said, “We have many ambitious plans to bring the group together more frequently and provide many activities for members to be involved in”.
Delicious food was served including mouth-watering sev dahi puri chat, delicious vada pav, Indian Masala tea, Shahi paneer, Daal Makhani, Mix vegetable, raita, salad, paratha, and Ras Malai. For kids, games like Lemon and spoon race kids, Skittles pick, and Water Sponge race were organized. Adults enjoyed the games like Iski top uske sar, Gangaur sola singar, and Ball Dunk. A wonderful Flash Mob was choreographed by Sumita Somani.
Gangaur is a festival celebrated in Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervor and devotion by women. Women worship Gauri, the wife of Lord Shiva during March–April. It is the celebration of spring, harvest, marital fidelity, and childbearing. Gana is a synonym for Lord Shiva and Gaur, which stands for Gauri or Parvati who symbolizes Saubhagya (marital bliss). The unmarried women worship her for being blessed with a good husband, while married women do so for the welfare, health, and long life of their husbands and for a happy married life. The festival commences on the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra, the day following Holi, and continues for 16 days.
The ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing designs with Mehndi (Henna paste). On the final day there is procession, the women bid farewell and the idols of Gana and Gauri are immersed in water.
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