KAILALI, Sept 3: Gaura Parba, the major festival of the far-west region, has begun from today, the day of Bhadra Krishna Panchami. 

On the first day of the festival, women marked the beginning of the festival by soaking five types of grains in water in a copper pot. The collection of the five grains including wheat, peas, and black gram is known as Biruda in the local dialect. 

Likewise, the second day is a day of fasting during which the women prepare the portraits of Gaura Devi or goddess in the wee hours at the sources of water or well by washing the Biruda collectively. 

On the day of Saptami, the married women welcome the Gaura deity in the temple after worshiping. The residents of Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Doti and other districts observe the festival with great fanfare, more than the Dashain festival. 

This year too, the government has announced a public holiday coming Tuesday on the main day of Gaura Parba. Besides worshipping and savoring delicacies, Deuda song is the main attraction of the Gaura festival, in which mythical and religious stories are presented in the form of a song. 

Likewise, Gaura is also considered a festival of unity in which the out-migrants return home for celebrations. 

Deuda is of high importance during the Parba. Women sing along the beats including their pains and hardships. The family members enjoy the Parba also by buying new clothes and wearing them during the dance. People exchange their feelings via the lyrics of the songs and they enjoy it to the fullest.

 
• Gaura_Parba
 
• far-west
 
• Nepal