Gowri-Ganesha Festival mood Picks Up at Mysore Devaraja Market

Gowri Habba (festival) is observed a day before the Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi in Karnataka. This is Gowri Ganesh festival is observed on the 18th September and Ganesh Chaturthi of the 19th September. Gouri Habba is celebrated on the third day and Ganesh Chaturthi on the fourth day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Bhadrapad month. Chaturthi means the fourth day. Goddess Parvati is worshipped on the Gowri Habba day and Ganesha or Ganpati is worshipped on the Ganesh Chaturthi.

 

Gowri Ganesha is observed by both married and unmarried women. When married women observe the day for happy and peaceful married life, unmarried women perform it for getting good husbands. It is believed that Goddess Parvati (Gouri) visits her devotees on this day and her son Ganesha comes on the next day to take her back to Kailasa. Gouri Ganesha is observed only in Karnataka. Gouri Ganesha festival is also known as Swarna Gowri Vrat because a golden (swarna) image of the Goddess Parvati is worshipped on this day. If not, clay idol of Parvati coloured with turmeric is also worshipped on this day. Usually idols of Parvati and Ganesha are worshipped together.

See some of the pictures I clicked today morning at Mysore Devaraja Market:

A man arranging flower garland at the footpath of Devaraja Market

As part of the festival, a small temporary shrine is built using tender banana stem and leaves and it is decorated with mango leaves, tulsi, etc.. Lot of flowers and green leaves with raw fruits are used to decorate these idols. Many variety of dishes are made out of rice as part of the festival. Not only that, those who are performing the Vrat, usually send gifts to other women to get their blessings too.

A woman buying a bunch made of raw fruits and leaves.

Each bunch cost Rs. 15 which contains a tamarind, custard apple, beetle nut, and some other raw fruits which I am not familiar with its names.

 

An old woman selling tender banana stem and leaves

A set of two cost Rs. 25

A man selling mango leaves. Each bunch cost Rs. 25

Flowers and leaves for sale.

The prices of the flowers are gone up and now they are selling a standard length of flower garland for Rs. 30 which was Rs. 20 two days before.

A woman selling variety of fruits

Fruits like Mosambi, pomegranate, green and purple coloured grapes, custard apple, star fruit, oranges, chickoos, guava, etc are available to decorate the special plate to perform the pooja but the prices are a bit higher since it is the festival season

A woman selling variety of green leaves to be offered to the Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha

Lotus buds are waiting for its buyer for a price for Rs. 15 per stalk.

Fruits are arranged on the footpath of the Devaraja Market. For each group arranged is available for Rs. 10

It was so crowded inside market and people mostly crowded to buy flowers. Even though I got inside the flower market but couldn’t take out my camera to click a snap. Since people are expecting further increase in the rates of flowers and fruits, they are buying these items well in advance from the market.

I started very early to the market to avoid the crowd and the related parking problems but I really struggled to find a place to park my vehicle. I anticipated the crowd anyway after 10.30 am since it is Monday and a working day but I was wrong. Since the festival is just around the corner, most of the people were out on a shopping spree and they literally cramped their vehicles in the available space.