Jyeshtha Gauri Avahan (Maharashtra) 2027

Puja Vidhi

Who Should Perform This Puja?

• Married Women: Married women welcome Goddess Gauri into the home, seeking Akhand Saubhagya (lasting marital happiness) and the wellbeing of their husbands and families.
• Families of the Household: The whole family joins in the welcome, praying for peace, prosperity, and the Goddess's blessings in the home.

When Should This Be Performed?

• Morning Preparation: Bathe and clean the home and the puja area in the early hours of the morning, during Brahma Muhurta (the pre-dawn period before sunrise).
• Avahan (Welcoming Gauri): Performed on the morning of the Anuradha Nakshatra, during Madhyahna (midday) or earlier in the day. Check the puja muhurat for your city on this page. (Timing may differ between families.)
• Evening Aarti: The Goddess is offered Aarti in the evening after sunset.

About the Festival

Jyeshtha Gauri Avahan is the first day of the three-day Jyeshtha Gauri festival, a much-loved Maharashtrian observance in which Goddess Gauri is welcomed into the home during Ganeshotsav. It takes place in the Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, when the Anuradha Nakshatra is present.

The Katha (Story of Jyeshtha Gauri)

Long ago, a fierce demon terrorised the land, and the women suffered most of all, for their homes and families were left unprotected. In their distress, they prayed to Goddess Gauri, the Divine Mother, to come to their aid.

Moved by their prayers, Gauri descended to the earth. She destroyed the demon and restored peace, and the women were freed from their fear. They longed to thank her and to keep her close, but they did not know how to honour a Goddess who had given them so much.

The Goddess blessed them and advised: "I will come to your homes each year in the month of Bhadrapada. Welcome me with love, adorn me, feed me with your own hands, and I shall bless your households with saubhagya and prosperity."

The women welcomed Gauri into their homes with joy, and she stayed with them as a beloved daughter returning to her mother's house. Pleased by their devotion, she granted them good fortune and the happiness of their families. Since that day, women in Maharashtra have welcomed Jyeshtha Gauri each year, as if she were visiting her maternal home.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the Avahan:

• Images of Gauri: Gauri Mukhavate (faces of Gauri), or a Gauri idol, or sacred stones (Khadyache Gauri), as your family tradition prescribes
• Welcome Items: A Kalash or vessel with water, a Saree and blouse piece, and traditional jewellery for adorning Gauri
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Haldi, Kumkum, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A brass Diya with Ghee and cotton wick, and a lit Samai
• Flowers & Leaves: Fresh flowers, Durva grass, and leaves such as Tulsi and Bel
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Sweet dishes such as Pedha, fruits, and betel leaves with betel nut

Puja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to perform the ritual correctly:

Step 1: Morning Preparation and Sankalp

1. Wake up early during Brahma Muhurta, bathe, and wear clean, auspicious clothes (traditionally a Nauvari or other Saree for women).
2. Clean the house and decorate the entrance with Rangoli and flower garlands.
3. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Divine Mother Gauri, today I welcome you into my home with devotion. Bless my family with happiness, peace, and lasting good fortune."

Step 2: Preparing the Home and the Altar

1. Draw small footprints of the Goddess in Rangoli or with Kumkum, leading from the entrance of the home to the place where she will be seated.
2. Clean the place beside the Ganesha idol and prepare a decorated seat with a clean cloth.
3. Place a Kalash filled with water, and keep the Gauri images or Mukhavate ready.

Step 3: The Avahan (Welcoming Gauri)

1. Carrying the Goddess: A married woman of the household carries the Gauri Mukhavate or sacred stones in a vessel from the entrance, walking slowly along the footprints.
2. Welcoming at the Threshold: Offer water at the door, apply Haldi and Kumkum, and ask her, as a guest, to step in.
3. Seating Gauri: Place Gauri on the prepared seat beside Ganesha, adorn her with the Saree, jewellery, and flowers, and apply Haldi, Kumkum, and Akshat.
4. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Ghee Diya and place it before the Goddess.

Step 4: Offering Worship

1. Offer fresh flowers, Durva grass, leaves, and betel leaves with betel nut to the Goddess.
2. Offer Naivedya (sacred food offering) of sweet dishes and fruits.
3. Chant Gauri's names and sing devotional songs with the women of the household.

Step 5: Aarti in the Evening

1. In the evening, light the Diya again and perform the Gauri Aarti, singing devotional hymns.
2. Offer a final round of flowers and Naivedya.
3. Place a lamp near the Goddess so that it remains lit through the night.

Step 6: Seeking Blessings and Sharing Prasad

1. Touch the feet of the elders in your family to seek their blessings (Charan Sparsh).
2. Distribute the Naivedya as prasad among the family members.
3. Share a simple, sattvic meal with the family.