Gauri Habba

Gauri, the mother of Ganesha and wife of Shiva, is worshipped throughout India for her ability to bestow upon her devotees courage and power.

It is believed that on Thadige, or the third day of the month of Bhadra, Gauri comes home like any married woman comes to her parents' house.

Each baagina usually contains a packet of arshina (turmeric), kumkum, black bangles, black beads (used in the mangalsutra), a comb, a small mirror, baLe bicchoLe, coconut, blouse piece, dhaanya (cereal), rice, toor dal, green dal, wheat or rava and jaggery cut in a cube form.

The main food items in this festival's feast are the delectable "beLe hoLige" / "Kaayee-hoLige", "Huggi" / "Chitranna" and "Bajji" .

In the olden days, newly-wed couples had to wait till Gauri Habba to consummate their marriage.

This practice has been in place for years but has declined in recent times due to modernisation and wide contraceptive options.

Unmarried girls (kanya) in the house also wear a gauridara, but it doesn't have knots, just 16 strand cotton thread dipped in turmeric and a yellow chrysanthemum looped in it.