Kathmandu, Aug 31: The Gaura festival was celebrated in Tundikhel, Kathmandu with the performance of Deuda dance and cultural processions on Sunday.
People originally hailing from Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces and currently residing in the federal capital, Kathmandu, for various purposes such as study, job or for business observed the festival in Tundikhel with great enthusiasm.
In the celebration organized by the Prashansha Conservation Group, the revelers performed Deuda dance placing the idol of Gaura Mata (Goddess Parvati) on their heads. They also engaged in various other traditional dances like chaliya dance, hudke dance and the games like thado khel.
The Gaura festival, which commemorates the wedding of Gaura Mata (Parvati) to Maheshwor (Lord Shiva), is celebrated in the Nepali month of Bhadra as per the lunar calendar. The Gaura festival which falls on the waxing phase of the moon in the month is called ‘Ujjyali’ and the one that falls during the waning phase is called the ‘Adhyari’.
The Gaura festival observance is becoming grander in Kathmandu in the recent years as the number of people originally from Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces and settling in Kathmandu is increasing considerably.
The festival has been observed in Kathmandu since 2052 BS and it has been regularly celebrated in Tundikhel since then.
Gaura festival at NC President Deuba’s residence
Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba observed the Gaura festival at his residence, Budhanilakantha, Kathmandu on Sunday.
An idol of the Goddess Gaura was set up and worshipped by NC President Deuba and his spouse Dr Arzu Deuba, also the Foreign Minister. A deuda dance was performed with the participation of federal ministers, lawmakers, and chief minister from the Sudurpaschim Province on the occasion.
