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Kota Essential Information

Gangaur Festival- Kota

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The city is located on the east bank of the Chambal River, Rajasthan's only perennial river. While some associate the place with Kota Doria Saris, others link it with the Kota School of miniature paintings. Made of cotton or silk, and often with delicate golden thread designs, the saris are woven in the nearby village of Kethun. The Kota paintings are often a vivid and detailed portrayal of hunting expeditions that were launched in the once thickly wooded forests around the place.

Festivals

Gangaur Festival (Mar-April)

Gangaur is an 18-day festival celebrated by women all across Rajasthan. Married women pray for the long lives of their husbands while unmarried girls pray for a good match. The festival celebrates the love between Shiva and his consort Gauri or Parvati.
The festival commences on Holi. Women gather flowers and draw water from selected wells while chanting hymns in praise of the goddess. At the end of 18 days, the festivities culminate with the arrival of Lord Shiva to escort his wife back home. A grand procession, symbolic of a marriage procession, carries a beautifully decorated idol of Gauri in a gold and silver palanquin through the city. The procession includes elephants, camels, horses, dancers, drummers and joyous children.

Getting There

By Air

The nearest airport to Kota is Jaipur, 250 km away.

By Road

Kota is well connected by road to the main cities to Rajasthan. It is on National Highway 12, which connects Jaipur with Jabalpur.

By Rail

Kota is linked by rail with Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Jaipur, Bharatpur and Chittaurgarh. The Kota railway station is just a few kilometers from the main city