Jaipur gets ready for Gangaur

AJMER: It is festival time in Pink City. On the eve of Gangaur festival on Saturday one could see women jostling with each other in the local markets, buying items to be used on Sunday. In many homes, the idols of Lord Shiv and Parvati were decorated. This festival is the culmination of 18 days of special prayers which begin from Holi.
On Sunday, Gangaur will be celebrated with verve where women will sing folk songs followed by a procession with 'kalash' on their heads.The prayers will continue till evening. Later the idols will be immersed in water bodies such as lakes and ponds.
"The festival is meant for successful married life and prosperity. It's also time for families to get together. It also gives the message of protecting the environment," said Umesh Garg, chairman of Lok Parv and Sanskriti Sagar Sansthan.
If women were getting ready for Gangaur then for the Sindhi community too it was celebration time as they celebrated Chetichand on Saturday with pomp and gaiety. The festival was celebrated across the state, especially in Jaipur and Ajmer. The Sindhi community areas were decorated and food was distributed to passers-by throughout the day. A procession was also taken out in the city on the ocassion. Thousands of community members participated in it.
In Ajmer the Chetichand was celebrated with great fervour where people from all communities participated in the procession. In the evening Muslim community welcomed the procession on the gate of Ajmer dargah where the Sindhi community members were offered water and sweets, displaying a message of communal harmony.
The festival of Chetichand is celebrated since 1947 in Ajmer with enthusiasm. "After partition of India many Sindhis settled in Ajmer and since then saint Jhulelal's birthday is celebrated here," said Ramesh Lalwani, general sectary of Pujya Sindhi Panchayat. "This is a festival that is celebrated by the entire city, irrespective of the people's caste and community," said Mohanlal Sharma, executive member of Ajmer Market Association.