Jyeshtha Gauri Visarjan (Maharashtra) 2027

Puja Vidhi

Who Should Perform This Puja?

• Married Women: Married women bid farewell to Goddess Gauri, praying for Akhand Saubhagya (lasting marital happiness) and the wellbeing of their husbands and families.
• Families of the Household: The whole family joins in the farewell, praying that the Goddess returns again the next year with her blessings.

When Should This Be Performed?

• Morning Preparation: Bathe and prepare the puja area early in the morning, during Brahma Muhurta (the pre-dawn period before sunrise).
• Farewell Puja: Performed on the morning of the Mula Nakshatra, before the Goddess is taken for Visarjan. Check the puja muhurat for your city on this page.
• Visarjan: Done after the farewell puja, in the afternoon or evening. (Timing may differ between families; some families perform it the same day, others the next.)

About the Festival

Jyeshtha Gauri Visarjan is the third and final day of the three-day Jyeshtha Gauri festival, a much-loved Maharashtrian observance in which Goddess Gauri is bid farewell with devotion at the end of her stay. It takes place in the Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, when the Mula 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 with them, but she had to return to her own abode.

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 when my stay ends, bid me farewell with the same love. I shall bless your households with saubhagya and prosperity."

The women bid her farewell with offerings, songs, and tears of joy, and she returned to her abode, as a daughter returning to her husband's home after visiting her mother. Pleased by their devotion, she granted them good fortune and the happiness of their families. Since that day, women in Maharashtra have bid farewell to Jyeshtha Gauri each year, hoping for her return.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the farewell puja:

• Images of Gauri: The Gauri Mukhavate, idol, or sacred stones seated in the home
• Adornments: A fresh Saree and blouse piece, and a garland of flowers for the Goddess
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Haldi, Kumkum, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A brass Diya with Ghee and cotton wick, and incense sticks
• Sacred Thread: A thread of cotton (Gauri Sutra) with knots, to be tied on the wrist
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Curd rice (Dahi Bhaat), sweets, and fruits

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 Saree for women).
2. Clean the area around the Goddess and refresh the flowers.
3. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Divine Mother Gauri, I thank you for your stay in my home. Bless my family with happiness, and return to us again next year."

Step 2: Performing the Farewell Puja

1. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Ghee Diya and place it before Gauri.
2. Applying Tilak: Apply Haldi, Kumkum, and Akshat to the Goddess.
3. Offering Flowers: Offer fresh flowers and Durva grass.
4. Offering Naivedya: Offer curd rice (Dahi Bhaat) and sweets to the Goddess as Naivedya (sacred food offering).

Step 3: Tying the Sacred Thread

1. Take the knotted cotton thread (Sutra) and worship it with Haldi, Kumkum, and flowers.
2. Women tie the thread on their wrist as a blessing of the Goddess.
3. Pray for the long life and happiness of the family, and for the Goddess's return the next year.

Step 4: Aarti and Farewell

1. Perform the Gauri Aarti using the lit Ghee lamp while singing devotional hymns.
2. Offer Haldi, Kumkum, and a small gift to the Goddess, and sing farewell songs.
3. Pray with folded hands that Gauri returns the next year.

Step 5: Visarjan (Immersion)

1. Lift the Gauri Mukhavate or stones gently and carry them in a vessel to a river, pond, or a vessel of water (as your family tradition prescribes).
2. Immerse the Goddess slowly with devotion, offering flowers and Akshat.
3. Bring back a little of the water or a few sacred stones to the home as a blessing (according to family custom).

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 family members.
3. Share a simple, sattvic meal with the family.