Jaipur, Rajasthan:

the image of Gauri is carried through the streets of Jaipur

The weeks following my journey to Kolkata and the Kaziranga National Park were filled with work in Jaipur – but that did not exclude interesting new experiences!

One of the most important religious festivals of Rajasthan was celebrated on the 9th and 10th of April: Gangaur. During these days, women worship Gauri (also known as Parvati), the partner of Lord Shiva. While wifes pray for the welfare of their husbands, unmarried women wish for a suitable groom. In Jaipur, the festival saw a procession through the old town (starting near the Tripolia Gate) including actors, musicians, camels, an elephant, and the image of Gauri herself. Tourists were allowed to sit on the porches of the shops along Tripolia Bazaar which enabled a good overview.

on the way to see the procession

old house in Jaipur

Sanganeri Gate

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

in the old town of Jaipur

turban shop

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal

in the old town of Jaipur

the procession starts

the procession starts

comedy

traditional folklore

Kali, Shiva, and Hanuman

fire-breathing

dancers, musicians, and an elephant

elephant

elephant

elephant

a big band

cannons

cannons

camels

another big band

old palanquins

poor horses

and yet another big band

Gauri appears

Gauri

the procession has passed

sunset behind the Iswari Minar Swarga Sal

evening at the Tripolia Gate

The procession itself took only 30 minutes, but I enjoyed it quite a bit! After I reached down to the street, the usual traffic chaos dominated the scene again and I decided to walk home during the sunset. However, I explored more of Jaipur’s city centre on the following weekend .