How to do Gowri Habba puja? What is the puja procedure of Gauri Habba vrata? What are the steps involved in Gouri Puja? Gowri Habba puja is the most observed vratha in Karnataka. In Kannada Habba means the festival and the name suggests the vrata or the puja to Goddess Gauri. On Gowri Habba, women observe strict fast. The first and foremost step in Gouri puja is installation of Gauri idol. The Gauri idol made of turmeric is referred as Arshinagauri. On Gowri Habba, either Jalagauri or Arshinagauri is worshipped.

Steps involved in Gauri Habba Puja:

Ganesha puja is performed before the Gauri puja. Ganesha idol is installed and simple Ganesh sloka is chanted. After the Ganesh Puja, Lord Shiva is also worshipped with simple slokas. Shivlinga is offered bath and offered Pushpabhisheka. After Ganesh Puja as well as Shiva pooja, Gauri idol is installed with chanting Gauri avahan mantra. Gauri idol is offered bath with water (Jalabhishekam), panchamrit (Panchamrita abhisheka), and once again with water.

Vastra Yugmam (a special thread like puja item made with cotton, turmeric and vermillion) is worn to the Goddess. Gauri is offered Turmeric powder and vermillion powder are showered along with flowers on Gauri idol. Akshata (consecrated rice) are showered on to Gauri idol. Simple Gauri puja slokas  are chanted.

Offerings to Gauri – Gowri Habba Mangaldravya or the items required for Gowri Habba puja:

Goddess Gauri is offered mirror, comb, red colour or green colour bangles, cereals, new cloth (red or green coloured), 16 types of leaves, 16 types of flowers and 16 types of fruits along with coconut. 16-knotted yellow thread, also known as Gauri daara, is worn by women to their right hands for the marital bliss. Bagina is the important thing for the Gauri Habba puja.

Atleast 5 baginas are prepared for the puja. One bagina is kept aside for Gauri devi and the remaining Bagina are given to other married women.

Swarna Gowri Puja – Gowri Habba in 2009

Gauri Astottara Shathanamavali – 108 names of Goddess Gouri

Preparations to Gowri Habba Puja – How to decorate Gauri pooja mantap?

The Gauri Thadiya Vratam has a great importance in terms of its rituals and its observance. Several Puranas and other Hindu religious texts have the reference of Sowbhagya Shayana Vrata.

Reference of Gauri Puja in Hindu Mythology:

Even Rukmini, the consort of Lord Sri Krishna, and Goddess Sita Devi, also performed Sowbhagya Gowri Shayana Vrata. Sita observed Gauri Puja everyday when she was in, Janaka’s (her father’s) home to get Adarsha Purush, Lord Shri Rama as her husband. Hindu Mythology tells that Goddess Gauri herself observed Kedareshwara Vrata and made her life with Gauri-Shankar after observing severe penance.

Celebrations of Sowbhagya Gouri Vratam:

Sowbhagya Gauri Vrata is performed all over India and all Hindu women observe the puja with utmost devotion. Especially in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, women worship Goddess Gauri to pay their devotion to get handsome and good husband and they observe the Gauri Pooja after their marriage to pay thanks to Divine Mother.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnKNJdCn-eI]

Sowbhagya Gauri Vratam, also known as Sowbhagya Shayana Vratam, is the Puja offered to Goddess Gauri. In 2010, Sowbhagya Gauri Vratam or Gangaur date is March 18, 2010. On this day, women worship the Mother Goddess for their marital bliss. Sowbhagya Gowri Puja is done on the day of Chaitra Shukla Tadiya (Chaitra masa Shukla Tritiya).

When is Sowbhagya Gauri Puja – Sowbhagya Shayana Vrata:
Soubhagya Gauri Puja (Soubhagya Shayana Vratam) is observed on the third day (Tritiya) of the Chaitra month in Hindu calendar (Chaitra Shukla Thadiya).

Who is Goddess Gauri?
Goddess Gauri is one of the manifestations of Goddess Parvati. She is the divine energy, Mother Goddess. She is considered as a perfect wife for her husband, Lord Shiva. After the conclusion of her ferocious form Goddess Kali (the black Goddess, man-eating manifestation of Goddess Parvati), observed a severe penance to get rid of her black complexion. And she returned as Goddess Gowri, the very pretty young woman with a golden complexion. Goddess Gowri is the most acceptable consort of Lord Shiva.

Being a princess Goddess Gowri accepted her ascetic husband and turned herself into her husband’s way. Goddess Gowri is a clear representation of purity and austerity. She is the Kanya (Kumari or unmarried girl) who has performed severe tapas (penance) to marry Lord Shiva.

Goddess Gowri Puja – Important Ritual during Gowri Tritiya:
Married women worship Goddess Gowri with Sindoor or kumkum for their sowbhagyam (marital bliss). Why one has to pray to Goddess Gauri? According to Puranas, she is the Divine Mother and the origin of the Universe. Mother Goddess, Shakti, has various celestial manifestations like Goddess Sri Raja Rajeshwari, Goddess Gauri, Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi etc..