Gora-Trai or Gauri Tritya is celebrated on the third day of the bright fortnight of Magha.
Gauri is the name of the Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning. On this day the family priest
brings a portrait of the goddess, below which are printed some shlokas in praise of the goddess.
Whenever a child is born or there has been an addition of a bride, the occasion is special and the
family priest of the bride's parents also brings a specially decorated portrait and in return gets a
handsome honorarium. This must have been the day of teaching the child the first alphabets after
offering pooja to the goddess of learning. This is borne out by the fact that the following day is
called Shruka tsoram or the Shloka Chaturthi. Obviously, on this day the child was taught the basic
Sanskrit shlokas like 'Twameva Mata cha Pita twameva - O Lord, you are my mother as also my
father.' This chaturthi is also known as 'Tripura Chaturthi' as the goddess is worshipped on this day
in her Tripura Sundari form. The goddess is regarded as the energy aspect of the Supreme Divine.
It is this aspect of energy that activates the Divine undertake the five functions of creation,
sustenance, destruction, providing cover and granting grace.
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