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What is Vata Savitri Vratam?
Performed
for the Long life of husband: A fasting day for married women, the ritual
practiced for Savitri is meant for the well-being and long life of the husband.
The fasting is assigned to Savitri and Satyavana her husband who was destined
to die within one year but was brought back to life by her severe penance.
The God of death, Yama is implored by Savitri when he is about to leave his
body and due to her sheer determination and devotion to her husband, she wins
him back to life and soon Satayavana regains his lost kingdom.
Legends
The
vrata has been named after Savitri. Savitri was the beautiful daughter of
king Aswapati of Madra Desa. She selected Satyawaan as her life's partner, a
prince in exile who was living in the forest with his blind father Dyumatsen.
She left the palace an lived with her husband and the in-laws in the forest.
As a devoted wife and daughter in-law she took all pains to take care of them.
One
day while cutting wood in the jungle Satyawaan head reeled and he fell down
from the tree and then expired on the lap of his beloved wife, Savitri. Then
appeared Yamraj, the death God to take away the soul of Satyaban from his
body. Savitri, deeply hurt pleaded to Yamraj not to be separated from her
husband. If at all he would take away the soul of her husband she would also
follow. Yamraj, moved by the devotion of Savitri returned the life of her
husband. Satyaban came to life again and both of them lived happily
thereafter.
Customs & Rituals
All
Hindu women observe this festival worshiping and propitiating Savitri as a
Devi. On this day, early morning the women take purificatory bath and wear
new clothes, new bangles and apply vermilion on the fore-head and the
hair-parting line. Then Savitri is worshiped. Wet pulses and rice, mango,
jackel fruit, lemon, banana and several other fruits are offered as Bhoga
(offering). After observing fasting for the whole day they simply take the
Bhoga. In the afternoon when all formalities of worship are over they bow low
to their respective husbands and elderly people.
Regional Celebrations Of Vat-Savitri Puja
This
festival is celebrated throughout India, especially in states like Bihar,
Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Orissa. In south India this fast is known as
Karadaiyan Nonbu and is observed by married women of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Vat
Savitri purnima is a festival of women. Vata Savitri Purnima is a very famous
Hindu festival of India which can be celebrated across the country specially
in Maharashtra. Vat Savitri purnima can be celebrated by the women on the
full moon day of Jyeshtha masa. Vata
Savitri Purnima is also known as vata purnima or vat purnima. on the day of
Vata Savitri Purnima women pray for long life of their husbands and they pray
that they never be widows. The significance of Vat Savitri purnima is
connected to the legend story of Savitri and satyawan. in this story savitri
got back her dead husbands life form yama.
On
this day which is also usually a Pournami (Full moon day) the vata or we can
say banyan tree is worshipped by women. women take fast for the three days,
or at least on the last day. They break the fast when the poornima is over.
women wake up early in the morning and take bathed and go to worship the Vata
(banyan tree) in different groups. Vat Savitri purnima is meant only for the
married women.
On
this occasion of Vata Savitri Purnima women keep fast For their husbands,
women wear bridal type dresses and jewelry.
After breaking their fast, fruits, clothes and such other articles are given
in charity in a bamboo basket to the Brahmins. Women worship a banyan (vata)
tree, and listen to the story of Savitri in groups. after all this women can
offer prayer and worship. during this puja women pray for good health of
their husbands. women feed water to the tree, sprinkle red powder (kumkum) on
it, cotton threads are wrapped round trees trunks and then they go seven
times round and do the parikrama.
Source :Internet
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