Gauri puja begins today, know dates for invocation and immersion
The three-day Gauri festival begins today across Maharashtra with the invocation ritual, followed by puja and immersion over the next two days.
Even as the Ganeshotsav mood continues across Nagpur and the rest of Maharashtra, preparations have begun in homes to welcome Gauri, or Mahalakshmi. This three-day festival begins today, September 17, 2026, with Gauri Avahan.
Homes are being cleaned and decorated with flowers, rangoli and traditional ornamentation. Women are busy preparing for the puja and the naivedya offerings. It is believed that Gauri arrives home like a daughter returning to her parents' house, which is why the festival holds deep emotional and cultural significance for Maharashtrian families.
According to the traditional Hindu calendar, the three-day festival will be observed as follows. On September 17, 2026, Gauri Avahan will take place, in which Gauri will be ceremonially brought into the home during Anuradha Nakshatra. On September 18, 2026, Gauri Pujan will be held, when the main puja of Mahalakshmi will be performed during Jyeshtha Nakshatra. On September 19, 2026, the three-day celebration will conclude with Gauri Visarjan during Moola Nakshatra.
Before Gauri's arrival, families clean and decorate their homes in the traditional manner. Colourful rangoli and flower decorations are made at doorways, while a special place is prepared in the home for the installation of Gauri. After Gauri's arrival, devotees perform puja and aarti and offer traditional naivedya. Different families follow different customs according to their regional and family traditions.
On the day of Gauri Pujan, there is also a special feast with an elaborate spread of dishes. Families prepare a variety of traditional Maharashtrian dishes and offer them to Mahalakshmi as naivedya. Devotee families pray for prosperity, happiness, good health and peace. The festival also brings families together and helps preserve traditions passed down through generations.
After welcoming and worshipping Gauri for two days, devotees will bid farewell to the goddess on September 19. The immersion ritual is expected to be an emotional farewell accompanied by prayers, with which the three-day celebration will conclude.
Ganeshotsav is already underway, and the arrival of Gauri has added another layer of devotion and celebration to the festive atmosphere in Nagpur and Maharashtra.
