MishaelNab: basic corrected information based on references and updated info per sources

2025-10-02T19:33:00Z

basic corrected information based on references and updated info per sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:03, 3 October 2025
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	{{~~short~~ description\|~~aspect~~ of goddess Durga}}		{{Short description\|Aspect of goddess Durga}}
	{{~~refimprove~~\|date=October 2011}}		{{more citations needed\|date=October 2011}}
	{{Infobox deity~~<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology-->~~		{{Infobox deity
	\| type = Hindu		\| type = Hindu
	\| image =		\| image = Gandheswari.png
	\| caption = Gandheswari, the deity worshipped by the Gandhabanik community		\| caption = Gandheswari, the deity worshipped by the Gandhabanik community.
	\| name = Gandheswari		\| name = Gandheswari
	\| affiliation = [[Durga]], [[Shakti]], [[Adi Parashakti]], [[Parvati]]		\| affiliation = [[Durga]], [[Shakti]], [[Adi Parashakti]], [[Parvati]],
	\| mantra =		\| mantra = Gandheswari mantra
	\| weapon = [[Conch]], [[Sacred lotus in religious art\|Lotus]]		\| weapon = [[Conch]], [[Sacred lotus in religious art\|Lotus]]
	\| consort = [[Shiva]]		\| consort = [[Shiva]]
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	}}		}}

	'''Gandheswari''' (IAST: Gandēśvarī;) is a goddess ~~worshiped~~ by [[Gandhabanik]] community, is an incarnation of ~~Goddess~~ [[Durga]]<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.kolkatawire.com/gandheswari-goddess-of-fragrance/\|title=Gandheswari – The Goddess of Fragrance Merchants\|first=Dalia\|last=Mukherjee\|date=April 30, 2018}}</ref> She is worshiped ~~during Baishaki~~ [[~~Purnima~~]] by [[Gandhabanik]] community. ~~It has been said~~ that she ~~saved Gandhabati~~ from Gandhasura. She has ~~four arms~~ and is ~~seen seated~~ on a ~~lion~~. [[Gandhabanik]] community ~~worships her for~~ their ~~development in their business~~.		'''Gandheswari''' (IAST: Gandēśvarī;) is a goddess worshipped by [[Gandhabanik]] community. She is an incarnation of the goddess [[Durga]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.kolkatawire.com/gandheswari-goddess-of-fragrance/\|title=Gandheswari – The Goddess of Fragrance Merchants\|first=Dalia\|last=Mukherjee\|date=April 30, 2018}}{{Dead link\|date=February 2022 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She is worshiped on Buddha Purnima by the [[Gandhabanik]] community. [[Gandhabanik]] community worships her for their development in their business.

			Bengali merchants used to travel by boat along the rivers in order to conduct business. They had to deal with robbers, wild animals, floods, storms, and heavy rains, among other hazards. The merchants worshipped the goddess Gandheshwari in the hopes that she would protect them from all dangers and misfortunes in order to defend themselves against these threats.<ref name="w526">{{cite web\|last=\|first=\|title=বৈশাখ মাসেই পুজো হয় মা গন্ধেশ্বরীর (Goddess Gandheshwari is worshipped in the month of Baishakh.)\|website=Drishtibhongi দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি\|date=2023-04-26\|url=https://drishtibhongi.in/2023/04/26/gandheswari-puja-on-baisakhi-purnima/\|access-date=2025-08-24}}</ref>

			==Legends==
			According to Hindu scriptures, the primary mythological narrative surrounding Goddess Gandheswari involves her battle against the demon Gandhasura.

			One day, while the sage Kashyapa, one of the seven great sages, was meditating, he heard the voice of a small child coming from the forest. His meditation was interrupted, so he followed the sound and found a little girl in the forest. Since her parents could not be found, the sage took her in and named her Gandhavati.<ref name="z794">{{cite web\|title=Gandhavati: Significance and symbolism\|website=Wisdom Library; The portal for Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Jainism, Mesopotamia etc...\|date=2024-09-21\|url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/gandhavati\|access-date=2025-08-24}}</ref>

			Gandhavati grew up in the ashram, helping the sage Kashyapa, during a time when the world was troubled by a demon named Gandhasura. This demon caused a lot of problems for the merchants. When Gandhavati became a young woman, Gandhasura attacked her and set her on fire while she was doing her prayers. To protect her devotees, the goddess came in the form of Gandhesvari. She fought and killed Gandhasura and threw his body into the ocean. From this, an island called Gandhadweepa was formed. Since then, Goddess Gandhesvari has been the family goddess of the Gandhabhani merchant community.<ref>{{cite book\|title=Indian Statistical Series\|publisher=John Wiley & Sons\|date=1957\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eSkfAQAAMAAJ&q=gandheswari+puja\|access-date=2025-08-24\|page=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book\|author=India. Ministry of Education\|title=Cultural Forum\|publisher=India (Republic) Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs.\|issue=v. 12\|year=1969\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RK0fAQAAIAAJ\|access-date=2025-08-24\|page=}}</ref>

			==Rituals==
			Gandheswari Puja is celebrated on Buddha Purnima, the full moon day of the Bengali month of Vaishakh-Joiyshto (April–May).<ref name="w526"/>

			{{Cquote\|
			Durgā durgatihāriṇī bhavatu naḥ<br />
			Durgatihāriṇī durgā svarūpā<br />
			Duḥkha vināśinī trailokyeśvarī।।}}

			Before the Puja day, the old murti is immersed in a pond or river on any day within the week leading up to the festival. On the Puja day or the day before, the new murti is brought home with the sound of dhak and kashor. The Puja begins, when the pandit arrives to perform the rituals and yagya, and family members observe a fast until they offer anjali.<ref name="m205">{{cite web\|title=Gandheswari Puja:The Fragrant Festival of Bengal\|website=Hindu Temple Talk\|date=2023-10-15\|url=https://hindutempletalk.org/2023/10/15/gandheswari-pujathe-fragrant-festival-of-bengal/\|access-date=2025-08-24}}</ref>

			The puja involves a variety of offerings and rituals. The items required for worship include an idol of the goddess, sindur (vermilion), panchagavya (five products from a cow, such as milk, butter, ghee, yogurt, etc.), panchasasya (five types of crops), pancharatna (five types of gems), panchapallab (five types of leaves), ghat (a small round-shaped earthen pot), darpan (mirror), green coconut with its stem, atap (sunned) rice, dhoti of Lord Shiva, Narayana, and Asura, sweetmeats, bilwapatramalya (garland of wood apple leaves), sesame, haritaki (yellow myrobalan), panchapuspa (five types of flowers), a conch, a piece of iron, naivedya (sacred offering for God), sandalwood, betel leaf, and nut, and others.<ref name="m205"/>

			One unique thing about Gandheswari Puja is that it includes a ceremonial blessing of business tools and activities. Account books, weighing scales, and measuring tools are set up in a pyramid shape in front of the goddess. Modern practitioners also offer calculators and computers.<ref name="n466">{{cite web\|last=Ray\|first=Shramana\|title=Gandheswari Puja,বৈশাখী পূর্ণিমাতেই পূজিতা হন গন্ধেশ্বরী, জেনে নিন দূর্গার এই রূপের কথা\|website=Eisamay Online\|date=2021-05-26\|url=https://eisamay.com/astrology/dharma-karma/rituals-and-festivals/hindu/gandheswari-puja-on-baisakhi-purnima-the-goddess-of-fragrance-merchants/articleshow/82968750.cms?utm_source=perplexity\|language=bn\|access-date=2025-08-24}}</ref>

			==Religious significance==
			According to Hindu religious tradition, the Gandhabanik community considers Goddess Gandheswari as their kuladevi (family goddess).

			Gandheswari’s influence extends beyond the boundaries of India. In Bangladesh, a statue of Gandheswari, alongside other Hindu deities, adorns the Buddhist monastery of Paharpur.<ref name="m205"/>

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}

	~~{{improve categories\|date=June 2020}}~~		[[Category:Forms of Durga]]
			[[Category:Fortune goddesses]]
	~~{{Hinduism-stub}}~~		[[Category:Consorts of Shiva]]
	[[Category: Durga ~~temples~~]]
	[[Category: ~~Merchant castes]]~~
	~~[[Category: Hindu~~ goddesses]]
	[[Category: Consorts of Shiva]]
	~~[[Category: Indian spices]]~~
	~~[[Category: Perfumers~~]]

>Marcocapelle: /* References */removed grandparent category of Category: Hindu goddesses

2021-04-28T15:55:59Z

References: removed grandparent category of Category: Hindu goddesses

New page

{{short description|aspect of goddess Durga}}
{{refimprove|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image =
| caption = Gandheswari, the deity worshipped by the Gandhabanik community
| name = Gandheswari
| affiliation = [[Durga]], [[Shakti]], [[Adi Parashakti]], [[Parvati]]
| mantra =
| weapon = [[Conch]], [[Sacred lotus in religious art|Lotus]]
| consort = [[Shiva]]
| mount = [[Lion]]
| planet =
}}

'''Gandheswari''' (IAST: Gandēśvarī;) is a goddess worshiped by [[Gandhabanik]] community, is an incarnation of Goddess [[Durga]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kolkatawire.com/gandheswari-goddess-of-fragrance/|title=Gandheswari – The Goddess of Fragrance Merchants|first=Dalia|last=Mukherjee|date=April 30, 2018}}</ref> She is worshiped during Baishaki [[Purnima]] by [[Gandhabanik]] community. It has been said that she saved Gandhabati from Gandhasura. She has four arms and is seen seated on a lion. [[Gandhabanik]] community worships her for their development in their business.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{improve categories|date=June 2020}}

{{Hinduism-stub}}
[[Category: Durga temples]]
[[Category: Merchant castes]]
[[Category: Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category: Consorts of Shiva]]
[[Category: Indian spices]]
[[Category: Perfumers]]

Gandheswari - Revision history

MishaelNab: basic corrected information based on references and updated info per sources

>Marcocapelle: /* References */removed grandparent category of Category: Hindu goddesses