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<p>2409:4060:310:871:287C:1A4D:2C7A:95B3: Fixed typo</p> <hr /> <div>{{For|disambiguation|Gajan (disambiguation){{!}}Gajan}}<br /> [[File:Panchananda Mandir with Gajan Devotees and Spectators - Narna - Howrah 2014-04-14 0296-0298.JPG|thumb|400px|Gajan devotees and spectators are assembled at the Panchananda mandir at village Narna, Howrah on 14 April 2014.]]<br /> <br /> '''Gajan''' is a [[Hindu]] festival celebrated mostly in the [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[West Bengal]]. It is associated with such deities as [[Shiva]], Neel and [[Dharmathakur|Dharmaraj]]. Gajan spans around a week, starting at the last week of [[Choitro]] continuing till the end of the Bengali year. It ends with [[Charak Puja]]. Participants of this festival is known as [[sannyasi]] or [[Bhokto]]. Persons of any gender can be a participant. The complete history of the festival is not known. The central theme of this festival is deriving satisfaction through non-sexual pain, devotion and sacrifice. {{citation needed|date=December 2017}}<br /> <br /> ==Etymology==<br /> The word ''gajan'' in Bengali comes from the word ''garjan'' or roar that [[sannyasi]]s (hermits) emit during the festivities.&lt;ref name=Mitra1&gt;Mitra, Dr. Amalendu, ''Rarher Sanskriti O Dharmathakur'', First published 1972, 2001 edition, pp. 165-169, Subarnarekha, 73 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kolkata&lt;/ref&gt; Alternatively, the word ''gajan'' is considered a combination of parts of two words - ''ga'' is from the word ''gram'' meaning village and ''jan'' is from the word ''janasadharan'' meaning folk. In this sense gajan is a festival of village folk.&lt;ref&gt;Ghosh, Binoy, ''Paschim Banger Sanskriti'', (in Bengali), part I, 1976 edition, p. 67, Prakash Bhaban&lt;/ref&gt;<br /> <br /> ==Significance==<br /> In Shiva’s gajan Shiva is married to Harakali on this day. The sannyasis form the ''barjatri'' (bridegroom’s party). In Dharma’s gajan Dharmathakur is married to Kamini-Kamakhya in Bankura Dist.or Mukti.&lt;ref name=Mitra1/&gt; The most recent studies on the gajan festival are: 1) Nicholas, R. ''Rites of Spring. Gājan in Village Bengal''. New Delhi: Chronicle Books, 2008; and 2) Ferrari, F.M. ''Guilty Males and Proud Females. Negotiating Genders in a Bengali Festival''. Calcutta and London: Seagull, 2010.<br /> <br /> ==Fairs==<br /> [[File:Charak festival.jpg|thumb|400px|Charak festival in Kolkata in 1849]]<br /> <br /> Fairs are often associated with the celebration of gajan.<br /> <br /> ==References==<br /> {{reflist}}<br /> <br /> {{Birbhum topics}}<br /> {{Bankura topics}}<br /> {{Bengali Hindu people}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Festivals in West Bengal]]<br /> [[Category:Hindu festivals]]<br /> [[Category:Religious festivals in India]]<br /> [[Category:Bengali Hindu festivals]]</div>

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