QUEEN'S ROAD: With thadige (third day) of Bhadrapada month falling on Wednesday, the city is geared up to celebrate Gowri Habba a day before Ganesha Chaturthi.
Legend says when Goddess Gowri gets angry at Lord Shiva and goes to her parents’ house, it is her son Ganesha who comes to take her back to Kailasa. This is the reason Gowri and Ganesha festivals are celebrated on successive days. Two Gowri idols will be immersed in water on Ganesha Chaturthi or the third or fifth day from Gowri Habba.
The story linked with Gowri Habba is about a king who had two wives. One day, he went hunting and in the forest, saw some villagers offering puja to the goddess. They gave him a thread with 16 knots and told him to offer puja at his palace to make all his wishes come true.
The king took it to his first wife, who refused his wish and took the thread and threw it on a dry shrub. The shrub instantly turned green. The second wife took the thread and offered puja with it.
It is said she prospered in life while misfortune befell the first wife.
This is the reason married women tie a turmeric thread with 16 knots on their wrist on this day, which is popularly known as Swarna Gowri Puja. Gowri is also called Swarna Gowri because of her golden complexion.
Devotees used to make idols out of turmeric, but over the years, idols painted in yellow have gained popularity. After the puja, young girls and married women offer baagina, one to the goddess and the rest to other married women. A traditional morada baagina contains a packet of arshina (turmeric), kumkum, a comb, a small mirror, a set of bangles, a coconut, a blouse piece, rice, toor dal, green dal, salt, cereals, jaggery, tamarind and cotton. Baagina is offered in a mora (winnow).
It is also believed that Goddess Gowri loves hurana holige, which is made of jaggery and dal. A traditional feast including rice, rasam, chitranna (flavoured rice), two types of palliya (vegetable curry), two salads and payasam, is served.
The theme of this year's Ganesha Utsav by Netaji Citizens Forum is health is wealth. During the 3-day celebration starting Thursday at Netaji Circle in Nandini Layout, an eye donation camp, in association with Narayana Nethralaya, and other activities are planned