Mangala Gowri Vratam

Mangala Gowri Puja or Swarna Mangala Gowri Vratam is observed by married women in North India, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and by certain communities in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. This pooja is to be observed in all Tuesdays of the Sravana Masa.

Married women observe Mangala Gowri Pooja for the first five years of their marriage.It is performed for a happy married life, child and for the long life of the husband. It is observed on Tuesdays in the Shravan month (July – August).

Mangala Gowri Puja is dedicated to Goddess Gowri or Parvati. Since it is observed on Tuesday in the Shravana masa(month), the Tuesdays in the month are also known as Shravana Maasa Mangalvar. Special poojas dedicated to Goddess Gowri is performed on the day and women dress up like a traditional married woman in 9 yards saree with all bangles, flowers and mangalsutra This pooja is done with the intention that Goddess Gowri will bless the house with material prosperity, health, child and long life.

The method of pooja and mantras used vary from region to region. There are no food restrictions but usually only vegetarian food is prepared on the day.Usage of Onion/Garlic are usually avoided on all vratha days.

How to observe Mangala Gowri Puja?

The method of performing Mangala Gowri puja varies from region to region. This is just to give an idea about the ritual. You can get advice from your elders at your home for the correct procedure of your family.

Things Required for the Pooja

• An image or idol of Goddess Gowri (Goddess Parvati) or five pyramid shapes made from turmeric powder.
  
• Rice
  
• Wheat and rice flour for Thembittu
  
• Jaggery
  
• Blouse bit 3
  
• Cotton(kajavasthra)
  
• Flower garland
  
• Dry Coconut broken into two halves
  
• Red flowers
  
• Usual fruits (locally available)
  
• Yellow Thread

Preparation

• House and the pooja room area is cleaned.
  
• Draw rangoli and apply semman
  
• House and the pooja room is decorated with mango leaf.
  
• Take a Manai(palagai) cover it with green blouse bit and put some rice and place Mangala gowri you prepared with turmeric powder in a betal leaf.
  
• Place a mirror at backside of Mangala Gowri
  
• On both sides of Mangala Gowri keep 2 blouse bits folded like a pyramid and 2 betal leaves with betal nuts and a dry coconut is broken and one half each is placed on each side above betal leaves
  
• Take yellow thread and ties 5 knot with flower,prepare 2 one for Gowri and another for you.
  
• Keep yellow thread in betal leaf and place it in front of Mangala Gowri
  
• Make 5 thembittu deepa with wheat, rice flour and jaggery
  
• All items are kept ready.

How to do the Pooja:

PROCEDURE:

1. Mangala Snaanam
2. Thulasi Pooja
3. Hosthilu Pooje -(Draw a rangoli, apply turmeric and vermilion to the Hostilu)
4. Mangala Gowri Pooja
5. Naivedya
6. Aarathi
7. Thamboola

Mangala Gowri Pooja

• The Pooja begins
  
• Light the lamps
  
• Pray to the deity by offering flowers and by lighting incense.
  
• Pray or meditate for few minutes – this includes asking for boon to deity during the Mangala Gowri Puja. Special prayer or Shloka is recited called Varava Kode in kannada
  
• You can also read or listen to the story associated with Mangala Gowri.
  
• While reading the kathe, hold the dosa ladle on the lamp lit(thembittu deepa), The black colored substance will appear, collect it and add Cold ghee to this and is to be applied on the eyes after Aarthi

Naivedya

Prasadam and Fruits are been offered to Gowri.

Aarthi

• Do Aarthi with Thembittu Deepa
  
• Then with usual sodalu
  
• Finally, with kalpoora
  
• Sacred yellow thread is tied on the right hand wrist.

Thamboola

Remove the prasadam or fruits and share it with family members and friends with Betel leaves and sweets.

A special prayer known as Mangala Gowri Haadu is recited while performing the Mangala Gowri Vrata and Pooja. During the Sravana Mangala Gouri Puja there is a ritual of asking a boon to Goddess Gowri by women. The Song or Mantra itself is in the form of asking the boon. The lyrics of the song is as follows:

Varava Kodi Thayi, Varava Kodi
Varava Kodi Gowri Varava Kodi
Kattida Mangalya Karimani Gaajina Bale Sthiravagi Iruvantha
Varava Kodi

Arisina Kumukuma
Aralu Mallige Davana
Sthiravagi Mudivanta
Varava Kodi

Mahadi Maneya Mele
Jodu Thottila Katti
Jogula Haaduvantha
Varava Kodi

Godana, Bhudana
Griha Dana
Kanya Dana Maduvantha
Varava Kodi


Invite women home and offer Mangala drowya and rice thambittu and do namaskara / obeisance to god and all the elders in the house. By observing this vrata, women believe that they will be blessed with long lasting and successful married life.

Story behind this vratha:

Once upon a time there lived a rich childless businessman. He prayed to God everyday to bestow him with children. Kind hearted Lord Shiva one day appeared before their house in the guise of a sanyasi / monk. The businessman’s wife came out to give alms but the sanyasi moved away to the next house without accepting her alms. When they ask the sanyasi why he did not accept their alms, he replies that he does not accept alms from homes without children. The couple are saddened to hear this and they ask the sanyasi what they should do to beget children. The sanyasi asked them to perfom Mangala Gowri pooja.

The couple performed the pooja with a lot of devotion and hope. Goddess Gowri appeared before them and asked them whether they want an intelligent son who will live up to 16 years or a dumb son who will live up to 100. It was a tough choice for the couple but they ask for an intelligent son. Soon a son is born to the couple and they name him Shiva. They take good care of him and as he reached the age of 16, they sent him to Kashi along with his maternal uncle. On the way to Kashi Shiva is married to a girl called Susheela.

On the night of the wedding Goddess Gowri appeared in Susheela’s dream and informs her that a Cobra will bite and kill her husband. To avoid this she tells her to feed the snake with milk and to keep an empty mud pot next to it. Goddess Gowri also tells her that the snake will enter the pot and she has to close the pot with a blouse piece. Susheela does as she was instructed by goddess Gowri and gives away the pot with the snake to her mother. Her mother opened the pot to find a beautiful necklace inside. She puts it lovingly on her daughter. Shiva gets up the next morning, and leaves for Kashi. He comes back after visiting the temple in Kashi with blessings from learned gurus and pandits.

Shiva had heard that his wife Susheela was in the habit of feeding all the people who passed her city. He sat among the people to partake the food and while Susheela was serving him, she recognized Shiva as her husband. They are happily united and Shiva sends word for his parents to join them.