About Ahoi Ashtami puja: Significance, Rituals, and Tradition
Ahoi Ashtami festival is a well-known festival celebrated all across Northern India before the start of Deepawali and after “Karwa Chauth”. The day is also known as “Ahoi Aathe”. Traditionally, on this day women observed the fast till twilight for the well-being of her children. After darkness, they break the fast by sighting the stars. Some women even break the fast by sighting the Moon but it might be difficult to follow the fast as the Moon rises very late in the night.
Basically, Ahoi Ashtami is a festival for the son, in which all the mothers observe the fast from the day to dusk for the well-being of her son. On this day, all the mothers worship the deity Ahoi with utmost fervour and pray for their child’s well being.
Ahoi Mata Varat story:
The story of this festival starts with the women who had 7 sons. Once when the only few days were left for Diwali the family was engaged in cleaning the house. This Diwali you can invite prosperity, luck, and blessings of Goddess Lakshmi with Meru Prushth Shree Yantra. while renovating the house, she went to collect mud from an open pit near the River. While digging the soil, she unknowingly killed the offspring of the hedgehog (sei), who later cursed her. Thereafter, the curse proved fatal for their son and one by one she lost all the seven sons. She realised that this is because of that curse, and to shed this curse, she observed six-day long fast and prayed to Ahoi Mata. Seeing her devotion, Mata Ahoi pleased and gave her all the seven sons back.
Ahoi Mata Varat Vidhi:
This festival is akin to the festival Karva Chauth, the only difference is that Karva Chauth is for Husband’s well-being and Ahoi festival is for the well being of the son. On this day, all the women or mothers wake up early in the morning and take a bath. Later, she takes a pledge or “Sankalp” that she will observe and complete the fast, and then they perform the vrat without food and water until the sighting of the Star or Moon in the dark sky.
Rituals of Ahoi Ashtami Vrat:
Ahoi Ashtami vrat is supposed to be done before the sunset.
- Firstly, the image of the idol is drawn on the wall. If you can not make the image, then the wallpaper of deity can also be used. The image of the Ahoi Ashtami should consist of eight corners owing to its association with Ashtami-Tithi. A picture of hedgehog (Sei) or Cub is also drawn close to the goddess Ahoi.
- A holy Kalash filled with water is placed at the left side of the Ahoi Ashtami idol on the wooden platform. Then a swastika on the Kalash is drawn, and a sacred thread is tied around the Kalash.
- Then the eldest member of the family recites the Vrat Katha to all the women of the family. Each woman is required to hold 7 ounces of grain in their hand while listening to Katha.
- In some communities, Ahoi Mata of silver known as syau is made and worshipped. After the puja, it can be worn as a pendant around the neck by all the women.
- Thereafter, Rice and Milk is offered to the deity along with Vayana and cooked food which includes poori, Halwa, and Pua.
- At the end “Ahoi Mata aarti” is performed to mark the termination of the puja.
In case you are not able to perform these rituals, let our experts perform Puja for you at the comfort of your home.
Important dates and times of Ahoi Ashtami
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