Why Gowri Is Worshipped First

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As we all know Ganesha Chaturthi is a very big festival in India. But before worshiping Lord Ganesha, Gowri Pujan is perfromed a day before. Why does Gowri come first before Lord Ganesha? Well, Gowri (Goddess Parvati) is the mother of Lord Ganesha and hence we first worship the divine mother.

When it comes to how and when the 'pujan' is done, there are different methods and interpretations and they vary from one place to another. But all over the country, Goddess Gowri is worshiped with utmost devotion before the idol of Lord Genesha is brought home.

In fact, the idol of Goddess Gowri is brought home at least a day before Ganesha Chaturthi. This act symoblises bringing home prosperity and wealth. In some places, people call her 'Mangala Gowri' ('Mangala' means auspicious). She is also considered as the goddess of prosperity, harvest and power.

Bringing Home The Idol Of Gowri
The idol is generally brought home a day before the actual Gowri pujan. Married women use 'rangoli' to decorate the way through which Gowri is brought home. When the idol of the goddess is brought home wealth and prosperity follows.

Decoration
In some places, the idol of the goddess is draped with a new saree. They also decorate her with gold jewelry and bangles. Flower garlands are also used.

Pujan
Some people invite a priests to perform the whole 'pujan' whereas others prefer to worship in their own convenient way. After the puja, 'aarthi' is offered. Other offerings include, sarees, bananas, rice, coconuts and ornaments.

Visarjan
Generally, the idol of Gowri is immersed along with the idol of Ganesha. Before the 'visarjan', 'aarthi' is performed; after that cooked rice and milk are offered to the goddess. After the 'prasad' is distributed to all the devotees, the immersion program gets started.

Irrespective of the minor variations in the way the 'Gowri Pujan' is performed in different places, the whole spirit of this practice is more about worshipping the divine mother who is also a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Married women worship Goddess Gowri for fertility, prosperity and longevity of the husband.