17 August, Kanchanpur. On the second day of the Gaura festival, Nwala's Gaura is being celebrated by washing the Biruda. On the second day of Gaura Parva, which started from Tuesday, today Biruda Bertalu women are celebrating Nyala's Gaura by washing Biruda.

According to Nirmala Joshi, an expert on Gaura Parva, on the first day of Biruda Panchami, a copper pot is coated with cow dung, decorated with Akshata, and soaked in five grain mass, kaalu, wheat, wheat and Gurus.

On the second day, the bird is taken to the stream and washed with Manglik Phag Sagun. "Wetted birudas are taken to the nearby holy stream, spring, and washed collectively," said Joshi, "the same birudas are offered as prasad on the day of Saptami, and the offered birudas are worshiped throughout the day on the day of Ashtami, through chants and songs to the lilas of Gora and Maheshwar from birth to marriage."

She said that on Saptami, Sanja Gaura is prepared by collecting plants like saun, sesame, apamarga from the paddy field. He said that Biruda, which is used in the worship of Gauradevi, is considered as offering to Gauri. "After the fast of Putrada Ekadashi, the Gaura Parva starts formally from Biruda Panchami of the month of Bhadra, the fast of Putrada Ekadashi is mandatory for worshiping the fast of Gaura Parv", Joshi said, "On the day of Biruda Panchami, women who have been on a pure vegetarian diet for a month before, soak Biruda (five types of grain) in copper."

Bertalu Rajeshwari Awasthi said that on the day of Saptami, an idol of Goura is made and brought into the 'Gauraghar'. "Gaura is a big festival for the women of our Far West", she said, "Just like the men wear it, the women also wear double thread in this festival as a sacrifice."

He said that husbands and family members observe Gaura fast for good health, long life and prosperity in the family. On the day of Ashtami i.e. Gourashtami, gaura is burnt along with mangalgan while worshiping. At the same time, Gaura is brought to the courtyard of Gauraghar, where it is danced with various Athbali songs, Chait, Dhamari, and Veergathas of Rajamaharaja. From today there is a trend of playing Deuda in some places. Gaura means Parvati and Maheshwar means Mahadev are worshiped in this festival. Women worship Shiva Parvati by fasting, taking bath, wearing clean and new clothes.

Folk culture expert Kaviraj Bhatt says that since ancient times, Parvati (Gauri), the consort of Lord Shiva, has been worshiped as Gaura Devi as the daughter of the mountain king Himalaya and Menaka. "This festival is celebrated on the basis of the rising of the Agasti star in both Shukla and Krishna", Bhatta said, "Gaura falling in Shukla aspect is called Ujyali Gaura and Gaura falling in Krishna aspect is called Anyari Gaura."

According to him, although both these gauras are considered very sacred, Ujyali gaura is regarded with special importance. The Gaura festival is a traditional female-dominated festival in the Doti community. This festival has been celebrated in this region since ancient times with more importance than Dasain.

He said that as mentioned in Mansakhand of Skanda Purana, Gauri, the daughter of Himalaya, the king of Kailash mountain, did severe austerities for twelve years to get a husband from Mahadev, so Mahadev was pleased and gave darshan to Gauri and Shiva.

On the occasion of Gaura, the Deuda game is also held in the Far West. Women observe Gaura fast, while men play Deuda Dusko, Dhumari Khel, a folk song of Far West, for entertainment on the occasion of this festival. Lately, Gaura festival is also celebrated in Kathmandu and far western countries with great pomp.