Primarily a women's festival, Ganagaur is celebrated on the third day of the bright half of Chaitra (March-April). It is a great local festival in Rajasthan, and is also celebrated in many parts of north India with great fervor. Ganagaur is actively an 18-day festival culminating on the final day. The celebrations commence right from the next day of Holi with worship and prayers to Gauri. Gauri, as we know, is an epithet of Parvati, the eternal spouse of Lord Shiv.

Both the married women and unmarried girls worship the Goddess every day during the festival with durva grass, fruits and bright brass pots filled with fresh water. The married women seek Gauri's blessing for faithful conjugal happiness and bliss while the virgins pray for a suitable handsome husband and future marital prosperity.

On the final day of Ganagaur festival, the ladies keep strict fast, worship the Goddess, wear colorful raiments and ornaments, exchange sweets and the wooden or earthen images of Ganagaur (Shiv-Parvati) are taken in procession through the main bazaars and streets to the accompaniment of music for the ceremonial immersion in the nearby lake or tank or river.

Shiv and Parvati is held to be the conjugal pair representing ultimate married bliss. The picture or idol of Parvati can be used as Gauri Mata. In the olden times, a human figure was made of cow dung mixed with mud and worshiped as Gaur Mata. The puja of Ganagaur is normally celebrated at the day-break .