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How to perform Swarna Gowri Vrata - FAQ

NVRavishankar. Bangalore Ph 080-26500933

Sri Gurubhyo Namaha: Mahaganapataye Namaha:

FAQ of Swarna Gowri Pooja:

Disclaimer: Pooja Procedures vary from region to region and vary from paddathi to paddati. There are numerous regional and community variations in performing the ritual. It is best to consult elders at Home to know about your paddathi . This FAQ is based on Hindu-Brahmin-Smartha Mulakanadu Sampradaya. Mostly common to all Brahmin sub-cast and Bangalore/Mysore/Sringeri region. 1. What direction should the God be kept: Pl. keep the god facing East Best Option Or 2nd option - North. General Explanation - Please note that God can be kept facing any in DirectionSruti vakya says Daivataha : Sarvato mukhaha.(that means, God faces all directions)so in this context, We must face the god while doing pooja (Abhimukhi) In that case, if you are facing east then god will be facing west. If you are sitting facing North, then God will be facing West. As far as possible, keep god facing in such a way that, as soon as somebody enters the house, they are able to see the god directly it is your convenience.. Avoid using corners. However, You must face to the East or North while sitting for pooja and sankalpa that is important. 2. What direction we should sit for pooja: Pl. sit facing East or North Direction. 3. Can I Start the pooja in Raahu Kaala: Pl. Note that the Raahu Kaala is followed only for Journey purpose and for starting any big events. But it is not followed for daily events and periodical event. This is vrata is a periodical event (Varshe, Varshe kartavya: . That means every year ritual.).. so in my opinion, you need not see rahukaala to observe this vratha. Shara (exception) ---- Pl. observe RahuKaala if this is first year of your pooja (newly married first timers) 1. What is the Rahukala for Bangalore for 31-08-2011 ( Rahu Kala 1219pm to 1.51PM) Please note that the Rahu Kala varies from place to place depening on the SUNRISE time of the day. 4. When do I take Mangala Snaana: People who are all doing pooja sumangalis and the children should take mangala snaana on the previous day of the pooja. That is on Bidige(2nd day of the lunar Month) . On the pooja day (triteeya), you should take normal bath

5. How many Threads should be kept for pooja: Even Nos. 2,4,6,8 etc.,depending on how may of you are doing vrata together. (Normally for this vrata, people who does not have tradition of keeping Gowri Kalasha at their home, will join us for doing vrata). 6. Each Daara should be of how many threads, and how many Gantus.(Knots): the Sloka says, Shodasha Granthi Sanyuktam, Krutam, Shodasha Tantubihi. That means, it should be made of 16 threads and 16 Granthis (Knotss). But Normally, you take single thread hasi daarada unde, make five folds of daara with a length of about little more than half a meter and put 16 Granthis (Knots). Take one Shavantige hoova and tie it at the center of the daara. You need to soak the daara with arishina(Turmeric).. keep it on viledele (2) and adike(2) and dakshine, keep it in a small plate and place it on to the right side of the Devi and do Pooja. 7. What is the procedure to tie this daara(Doora Granthi): Normally, after the pooja, if Husband is around, ( dressed in Panche and shalya), He will tie this. Give this Daara to him. You keep one taambula with a fruit and dakshine in Both of your hands.. taambula facing Husband you facing North or Eastand Sit. Husband will show/touch this daara first to right wrist, and later left wristlike this for three times and tie the daara with three knots on to your right hand wrist. After that, he will put arishina and kumkuma to the knots. You will keep the taambula down, get up and give him akshaate and do namaskaara. If Husband is not around, next choice is amma, or atte, or any other sumangali around.The daara tieing procedure is same. 8. Minimum - How many co-conuts you need for pooja Totally 4 One for Nivedya, one for Poorna Phala Two for Upayana Daana if two of you are sitting, you need to keep two more extra .. Multiplies of two for any additional Sumangali sitting for pooja. 9. Minimum How many Bananas You need for pooja..About KG Banana totaling about 6 in Nos. 10. What is Madhu parka:.. Madhu means .. Honey. Parka means Curds so take a Banana and peel it from the flower side of the fruit and dip it in Honey, Sugar, and Curds and keep it on beetle leaves and beetle nuts with Dakshine and do nivedya. Please avoid keeping this near devi as it may get Ants later. 11. How many Gowris will have to be kept in this pooja . One Maralu Gowri (or Mannina Gowri called saikata Gowri), One Arishina Gowri(called Daakshayini Gowri). Five of Mangala Gowri (if applicable to you). One Mannina Gowri(called alankaara Gowri). One Mukawada (Optional) 12. How to decorate the god for this pooja. It is actually left to your imagination but I will tell you what I have seen..The best is to keep God in a Mantapa(Wooden) otherwise, Take a Stool or Teepai(Center Table) Clean it. Put rangoli on it Asta Dala Padma.. Take Annada Tappale (big vessel)

with big base and small neck Place it on the stool and fill this with Rice to gain Weight. And decorate this tappale with Saree nerige and Blouse Piece let the fall of the saree come downwards, so that pallu and border are visible Take one Silver plate big and drape arishina (yellow cotton) blouse piece on the plate and Pour Akki about KG in it place the Gowramma on this. Take small silver kalasha and put ganga/water (after gange pooje) in to this and decorate with five viledele.keep a small mirror in front of kalasha.Keep the Mukhavada in the center and keep big bindi of kumkum to the mukhavada.Keep one Gangastaali and one Annapoorneswari Vigraha for pooja purpose..keep one set of bale, bichole, kaadige, kannadi and other aabharana items of Gowramma to the right side of Mannina Gowramma. Keep one belli (silver) Ganesha Vigraha in a separate plate for Ganesha Pooja Purpose.. Now decorate the table with Balekambha and torana (Mango leaves) and put rangoli Keep Deepada Kambha on either side of the table (stool)Keep one small Devi Vigraha in small silver plate at the center of the stool on the ground on a Mane or some thing to gain a little height to enable you to do kumkumaarchanePlease take care to bring only Mud type Gowramma and not plaster of paris and other materials etc.,. Keep a Devi photo at the back to give more look.. decorate with Flowers, Torana etc.,. 13. . How to get Gange(sacred water collection) for this pooja.. go near a well or go to nadi(River), or kere or any good water body..clean the well area(earlier days, people used to white wash the wells for the pooja day).. put rangole. keep deepa(2) there.. put arishina kumkuma for the face of the well..Do small Ganapathi pooja there ask his permission to take care of pooja well(NirviGhnam kurume deva, sarva kaaryeshu sarvadaa) ..get the water from the well soak the black blouse and white piece and squeeze it keep good quality mud ready (taken from tulasi mannu) and little bit of maralu make maralu gowri and arishina gowri there decorate with arishina kumkuma do small pooja with flowers , gejje vastra etc., keep small nivedya as well. Some people will break coconut here make aarathi.with gowri haadu. Bring it near the door of the house with ghanta naada and haadu etc.,..do tulasi pooja and hostila pooja. Keep deepa at hostilu.decorate face of the house door with gejje vastra.. Do aarathi for gowramma with ghanta naada place the Gowramma at pooja place.. adjust to the god centering etc.,.dry this black blouse piece and white blouse piece and put it on gowrammasome people put kari mani sara also..place a ganga staali and annapurneswari vigraha keep one ganesha vigraha also in separate plate in front for purpose of Ganesha Pooja. Use the same water for the whole pooja. 14. How to start the Pooja .. After Ganga Pooja, Keep the gowramma as explained above on the decorated saree. Now after deeparadhane, Husband

will start the pooja and do Mahaganapathi puja and Pranapratista of Gowramma as per Purohits chantings. After Pranapathishata and small nivedya for Pranashakti devata, he will leave the place for sumangalis. The Purohit will start chanting from Ganapathipuja and kalasharchane. The Vrata Begins. 15. How many Yele Gejje Vastra Should be there for this vrata. This is called Swarna Gowri Vrata please make 16 yele Gejje Vastra.and soak it arishina 16. What are the Nivedya Items for this pooja. I will tell you only what is minimum required. Pancha Phala (5 types of fruits each two nos.) tengina Kaayi(1) Viledele(16), Adike (16), (Adike Pudi --- if you are doing maha nivedya)dakshine.) Additonally I have seen people keeping 16 Bele Obbattu (Home made), Amobode (16), kosambri (2 types), Paanaka, gulpapde.16 nos.-Chigali (16) .. Tambittu(16)....----Maha nivedya ( with full of the adige what you have prepared Keep it on a silver plate or two Baleyele agras. You must use two Banana leaves with Agra for Nivedya purpose.) 17. How to keep these items for Nivedya. Make a Mandala take water in you hand sprinkle it on the floor with palm down. Then make mandala using your first three fingers...1)if you are facing east use your first three fingers put it on the ground start towards your left.complete to Make a square.. do not lift your hand make a diagonal to end mandala in north east direction put akshate in all the four corners of the square and a little at the center. This is called mandala. 2) If you are facing north use your first three fingers put it on the ground start upwards .. complete the square to your right. Do not lift the hand. Complete the diagonal with north east direction.. put akshate as told above if you are keeping hannu kayi keep it on a sliver/copper/hittale (brass) plate with taambula and dakshine and keep it at one corner of mandala keep fruits also along with it. All the flowers of the fruits should be looking up..avoid keeping papayapapaya not allowed as an item of nivedya....if you are keeping maha nivedya. Please use two banana leaves and place it in front of the god with agra facing as though god is eating. That means, if god is facing east, then agra should come to north(left hand side of god) . first put ghee on to the bale yele with help of flower (paatra abhigara). Then start serving in bale yele in the traditional way as we do .. with two kosambri, two palya one payasa.. one chitranna poppumaggige huli/Kuutu.. Obbattuetc., Lastly serve Anna Two timesnow in the end you should put tuppa (abhigaara).. Please note that tuppa has to be served in the last after all serving is over... all the items like. payasa lota.. paanaka lota halu lotamosaru lota.. should come to the left corner of bale yele keep one glass of water(silver or copper lota) at the right side of the yele all the bakshya like obbattu, bonda/bajjji/Aaambode . should come below chitranna. And in the end you should put abhigaara to anna first, payasa next.. and to bakshya third keep two line rangoli in front of yele. Keep two tuppada deepa in front of yele.Keep viledele (16 or 5 will do) and adike pudi in a separate plate now you do nivedya with Gayatri Mantra as chanted by purohitaru. What you should not keep for nivedya is, 1.serving all the items on a plate from

kitchen and keeping the same in front of God,. 2. keeping something (sweets) which is bought out, 3. catering food, etc., 17. When we have to give this shurpa vaayana dana (Baagina).. . The answer for this is, soon after the vratha and before lunch on the same day.. if not possible you should give this before udwaasana of Gowri..(that is before immersion) 18. How to make ready Baagina for this pooja take one set Jodi mora. Decorate the same with arishina, Kumkuma and color paper etc.,. Take a small Banana leave and cut it to size, drape it on one of the mora. Put all types of Bele(pulses like togari, hesaru, uddu, kadale) in zip lock covers small, Gowri Saamanu, Fruits 5 types, blouse piece, godhi or rave, bella one acchu, all in small zip lock covers and one little big cover of Rice, bale, bichole.. arisina kumkuma packet, jacket piece,Tengina Kayi, silver bowl (optional), Saree (must for taayi baagina). Keep one taambula, with one type of fruit on the top while giving away this baagina.., 19. How many Baaginas for this pooja one taayi baagina. One Gowri Baagina another three may be optional.. total five. Keep it ready before pooja and place it to the right side of the teepoi or stool. After taayi Bagina and Gowri Baagina,. you can rotate remaining three baaginaas between the guests.. please do not mix up taayi baagina.. and gowri baagina..and dont indulge in give and take of these two baaginaas 20. Can I prepare more baginaas??? How many baaginaas we should keep ready.. Pl. keep ready minimum two or fiveif your guest(count sumangalis only) list is more then do additional.pl. note first year sumangalis should make ready 16 baaginas. But the rule is whatever nos, you have prepared are to be distributed among sumangalis before udwaasana of Gowri.. you should not keep it pending with out distributing. 21. How many baaginas for first year(after Marriage) Gowri Pooja..16 (Sixteen) Baaginas . This type you should give 16 baaginaas for continuous Five years. If not possible to give all the five years, give 16 baaginaas for the first year, and the fifth year. 22. Should I put Belli Battalu in all the Baaginaas Yatha shakti or One minimum.to taayi Baagina. 23. Is it a Must to put Saree in all Baaginaas.. Yatha shakti not a must atleast one in Taaayi Baagina is a must. Rest all Blouse Piece will do. 24. How to give baagina to sumangalis.preferably make the sumangali sit in East or North direction. Give Arishina, Kumkuma, Chandra, Prasadada Hoova .. take the Baagina. Keep one Taambula with fruit on the top of baagina try to balace the fruit or try to keep the fruit (tip use your both thumbs). Take baagina along with pallu and hand it over to the sumangali.. while holding the baagina you should swing it sideways three times and keep it down. Give akshate and do namaskaara.

25. Should I make baaginas ready for my small daughter/s also yes. We make ready small baaginaas for daughters also. We keep their interesting items like chocolate and small ata samanu in this. Not a must but feels good. 26. What is uppakki, Poppakki.. Pl. note this uppakki and poppakki is kept before the lunch on Gowri udwasana day.. this is done after punah pooja..Take one plate of Rice, one plate of bele (togari)and keep it readyDraw go-padma rangoli on a mane (peetha)keep two plates on this mane.keep this mane near Gowri to the right side.take one hand full of togari bele in right hand take a hand full of rice in left hand..cris cross the hand three timestell atthe dhandana galagi and drop rice and bele in a cris cros way on to the plate on the peetha. Repeat this three times. Pl. note that all the sumangalis who have done pooja, should keep this uppakki and poppakki, after this, madilutumbuvudu should be done. 27. What are all the items for Madilu tumbuvudu..blouse piece, tenginkayi(coconut), bella(achu), copra, akki, viledele,dakshine, arishina Kumkuma 28. What is the procedure for madilu tumbuvudu.After udwasana and uppakki, poppakki, keep the whole silver plate down along with gowri Sari.. and put the Madlakki items one by one in both hands. Sing Madlakki haadu also..Gowri seeriyalle madilu tumbuvudu. 29. When is madilu tumbuvudu done after the udvaasane and after upppakki and poppakki..Normally udwasane should be done after punah pooja and aarathi and ooota (Lunch) for that day. Please note that all the sumangalis who have done pooja should participate in this madilu tumbuvudu. 30. What is the procedure to do punah pooja lamp the deepas. Do pooja in normal way.. use the poornaphala kept at the right side of the god for Nivedya. And chant yesyessmrityacha anena Swarna Gowri Pooja Vidhanena Bhagavathi sarvaatmikaa swarnaGowri supreeta suprasannaa varadaa bhavatu. take a spoon full of water, akshate,and flower and leave it in another bowl. Do aarathi with Mangala Haadu and then take permission from elders at home and do udvaasane. 31. When do you do devara kadalisuvudu.. (Udwasane).. on an auspicious day as per panchaanga. This time, Gowri udvasane is on 5th Day Sunday 4th September 2011 before 4.30 PM Saptami. Otherwise, as per Onti Koppal Mysore panchanga on the 11th day(10-09-2011) between 10.59am to 11-54 am in the morning.

32. What is the procedure to immerse Gowri Ganesha. After udvaasane, with ghanta naada, Veda Ghosha and haadu, come near the well decorate well with rangoli, deepa etc.,.. keep the god to the east direction do the shodashopachaara pooja do hannu kaayi nivedya.. and do mosaru avalakki nivedya.. do mangalaarati and end the pooja.. now do aaarathi take prasada hoova etc., now take gowramma first along with small Ganesha and immerse in water after three rounds of rinsing in water. Chant Ganapathi mantras and Gowri Mantras or Haadu or Ganapathi Bappa mouria, Mangala Moorthy Moria slogan(this is North Style). Then take Ganesha and repeat the procedure. Now take a piece of gejje vastra from Gowri and tie it to your taali sara.. Look at the water in the well and do the final namaskaara and come back to house. Do not clean the pooja area immediately.. clean the area after some time. Or probably the next day 33. What is the nivedya at the time of Idol Immersion.. For the immersion day, you should prepare 5 types of rice(chitraanna, puliyogare,shaalyanna,pongal, and normal white rice) this is for Nivedya for lunch at the time of immersion, after the pooja near well, please keep mosaru avalakki, hannu kaayi Nivedya.distribute this mosaru avalakki near the well after idol immersion. 34. What should be the mindset of a person, while doing any vratha..Any person doing vratha should posses these qualities Kshama(pardon), Satya(truth), Daye(kind to others), Daana(give away), Shuchitva(Cleanliness), Indriya Nigraha(control on your body and soul), Devathaarchane(house hold pooja of your family diety), havana, santhosha(you should be happy), achourya(opp. Of stealing). This is in general. At the time of pooja, the mind should be calm and concentrated towards the god only. Kanniru surisuvudu (crying) and sittu maduvudu(kopa) is totally prohibited. No use of doing vratha in this mind set.(the house hold GAS burner should be off(joke)) 35. What is the procedure to give upaayana daana for Purohit Give gandha, then akshate, then keep some prasaadada flowers in a plate and give. Afterwards, give upayanadana after putting a drop of water on to both of the co-conuts. Give along with dakshine. Do namaskaara. Then, purohitaru will accept the taambula and give you flowers with aashirvaada.

Points to note in General: Pl. bring only Clay moorthy with out any Oil Paint etc., keep the Environment clean. Look for any cracks/ Bhinna(physical chipoff). Please avoid POP material and other materials which does not dissolve in Water. PS: Please avoid bringing out side food items/ordered food items like obbattu and Ambode etc., and keeping it for nivedya. It is advisable to do the same at home and keep it for nivedya. Pl. note that Preparing for Nivedya is part of bhakti. Dress code: Traditional Saree only. (if any other dress like selvar etc.,, it is difficult to give baagina. Pl. avoid such dresses). Traditional saree means, the one with pallu and border on both top and bottom. Preferably only cotton or silk. Hair do: While doing pooja, your hair should be well tied(you should not let loose the hair while doing pooja. This is as per dharma Shaastra) and you should wear a flower also. About Bale: Pl. wear Minimum Jodi bale at least at the time of pooja. (I mention this because, some wear only one on each hand) Please avoid keeping bindi while doing pooja use pudi kumkuma only. No eat outs please on this day. It must be remembered here that all these rituals are man made. It is easy to observe these rituals when you live along with relatives and friends. Today, most people live alone that too in countries alien to such rituals. A simple prayer to Goddess Parvati will be more than enough. Always remember the core concept of Santana Dharma is Brahman the supreme soul present in all living and nonliving - and realization of it is the ultimate aim. Please be careful while immersion of Gowri Ganesha. Please use only designated places by BBMP and take professional guidance to avoid any un-toward incidents. Bhakti Shraddha Gariyasi. Only Bhakti and Shraadha(devotion with concentration) is required in spite of all the above procedures.Pl. keep in Mind.

Om Tat Satu. Shubham.. Mangalam. Kalyanam.. ShivamSri Jagambaarpanamastu..