Savitri Vrata is
one of the important fasting-day celebrated by married Hindu women in Odisha,
West Bengal and Jharkhand in India. It is also celebrated by women of Mithila
in Nepal. This festival falls on Amavasya (no moon day) in the Hindu month of
Jyestha. So it is also popular as Savitri
Amavasya among the people. Married Hindu woman (whose husband alive) makes
fast to vow with dedication and worships Goddess for long life of her husband. This
reflects the religious significance of Savitri dedicated to her husband Satyavan, who destined to die but was
back to life by her devotion.
History of the Savitri
Festival
As per the legend, Savitri Devi was the beautiful daughter
of King Aswapati in Madra Desa kingdom. She had chosen prince Satyavan as her husband.
Savitri and Satyavan were married with full of traditions. Savitri go to live
with respect and perfect obedience to husband and parents-in-laws. On the death
of Satyavan, she vows for fasting and Yamraj was impressed by her purity. Savitri
prayed to Yamraj not to take husband from her. Yamraj was impressed by the sheer
determination and devotion of Savitri Devi. When ask for any boon, Savitri asks
for her husband Satyavan’s life. Yamraj grants Satyavan life back and blessed the
couple with eternal happiness. From that day, Savitri Brata festival observed to mark the dedication of wife’s
respect to the husband with lifetime relation.
Traditions and Rituals
of Savitri Brata
Early morning, Hindu woman takes holy bath. She wears new Saree,
bangles, and put Sindoor (vermilion) to her middle of foreheads. She then takes
fruits, flowers and sweets to Goddess temple for worship. Fruits like mangos,
jackfruits, bananas and wet pulses, rice are distributed as Bhoga(offering).
After fasting throughout the day, she takes the Bhoga and bow to her husband,
parents-in-laws and elderly people in family. This festival is also known as “Vat Purnima” (the full moon day) of
Jyestha month in states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Married
women in Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand perform Savitri Brata every year for
long life of their husbands. Tamil Nadu people believed that Savitri got back her
husband on the 1at day of “Panguni” Tamil month which observed as
"Karadayan Nonbu" by he married women. Tamil married women worship
Hindu goddesses and wear yellow robes to pray for long lives for their husbands.
Unmarried young girls start this practice for finding a good husband in the
future life.
