I can see group of girls, young and elderly women in rustling silk ghagras, rich gold embroidered red and blue saris and some in traditional Maharashtrian nine yards, Indori and Chamderis, all bedecked in gold and pearl jewellery going to the Gauri Haldi Kum Kum ceremony. I am glad the festival is in vogue again.

The festival starts from the third day of the month of Chaitra and goes on for a month. The idol of Goddess Gauri is installed with `pujas' and rituals. Application of cool sandalwood paste, haldi, kumkum, dressing her up in robes and gold jewellery, lighting the agarbattis incense oil lamps, offering of fruits and flowers, takes place. Everyday a special sweet dish is prepared in honour of the deity and is placed at the alter. All this creates an atmosphere of serenity in a home.

This festival is symbolic and there is a beautiful legend connected to it. The Goddess is supposed to visit her parental home and so all this fuss and showering of affection on her. The married daughters of the family are invited to the parental home and they enjoy all the love from parents, relatives, school and college friends.

The lady of the house fixes a day for the Vasanti Haldi Kum Kum function. Invitations are sent to relatives and friends. Some celebrate individually, some in groups or at the clubs. They have a theme of their imagination for the decor and arrangement. Some put the Goddess at a height on a pedestal. Below in steps are exhibited curios, picture, figurines, embroidered articles, floor decor. Some put the deity on a swing and a bower worked out with lovely beads over it. Some present a Himalayan snow with some cotton wool. Silver trays filled with ladoos, karanjis are kept as offerings along with soaked gram which is regarded as auspicious.

The invitees start arriving at 8 p.m. The hostess or her daughter-in-law, daughters, start putting `haldi' and `kum kum' on the forehead. Little girls love to put scent or `attar' and sprinkle rose water. Roses or jasmine `gajaras' are offered. The elderly lady bends down and picks soaked `chana' and puts it in the pallu of the guest and does the `Namaskar'. The guests get up, pay obeisance to the Goddess, ask blessings, admire the decor and thank the hostess. At times match-making takes place, as all the girls in finery are observed.

The daughter or daughter-in-law takes the guests to the inner chamber. Cool mango sharbat or pannha is offered to the guests along with green mango snack made with soaked chana dal and coconut, usal made with black gram and sweet `karanjis'.

One group leaves and the other lot enters. This goes on till late. At night the men invitees arrive to chat with their friends, pray to the Goddess and of course taste all the goodies.

The Goddess Gauri after staying for a month at the parental home is supposed to depart, naturally with a heavy heart and leaving others too in a similar mood. So also the daughters who have taken leave from in-laws' home as per their programme either before or same time as the deity. The parting is same on both sides; heavy hearts and sweet memories.