1In India, there's a special Hindu festival called Jyeshtha Amavasya or Vat Savitri Vrat. In some places like Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, it's known as Jyeshtha Amavasya. In the southern states, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, people celebrate it as Vat Purnima Vrat. It's an important occasion with different names in different regions.

During the festival, Hindu women fast and pray for their husbands to have a long and healthy life. Vat Savitri Vrat is on Friday, June 21, 2024.

The significant dates and timings for Vat Savitri Vrat in 2024 are as follows:

Vat Savitri Vrat 2024 Date: Friday, June 21, 2024

Vat Savitri Amavasya Vrat: Wednesday, June 5, 2024

The Amavasya Tithi, or the dark moon phase, begins at 10:01 PM on June 20, 2024, and concludes at 09:07 PM on June 21, 2024. During this period, married Hindu women observe Vat Savitri Vrat, a special day of fasting and prayer dedicated to the well-being and longevity of their husbands. It is an important occasion marked by specific dates and times, emphasising the cultural and spiritual significance associated with the observance of Vat Savitri Vrat.

Vat Savitri Vrat or Vat Purnima Vrat

Vat Purnima Vrat is a special day for married Hindu women to observe a fast and offer prayers to the banyan tree in honour of Goddess Gauri and the story of Satyavan-Savitri. They seek blessings for the well-being, long life, and prosperity of their husbands, as well as a peaceful married life. In Northern India, devotees follow the fast on Jyeshtha Amavasya (dark moon day), while in Southern Indian states, it is observed on Jyestha Purnima (full moon day).

On this day, married Hindu women dress in bridal attire, adorned with elegant jewellery, and apply vermillion on their foreheads after a sacred bath. They maintain a strict fast throughout the night, breaking it the next day after Purnima is over. The rituals include offering water, rice, and flowers to the banyan tree, applying vermillion, tying the trunk with cotton threads, and circling the holy tree 108 times.

This devoted act symbolises the commitment and dedication of married women to marital bliss. They express loyalty to their spouses and cherish the bond, aiming to be with their husbands even in the next birth. Vat Savitri Vrat stands as a meaningful representation of the enduring commitment to marital happiness.

The Story of Vat Savitri

Savitri, the daughter of King Ashvapati, got married to Satyavan, who had a curse that he would die a year after their wedding. True to the curse, after one year of marriage, Satyavan became weak and passed away in Savitri's arms. Instead of accepting his death, Savitri rebelled and confronted Yamraj, the god of death, about this unfortunate event. She pleaded with Yamraj not to take her husband away.

Yamraj was impressed by Savitri's dedication and granted her three wishes. However, he set a condition that she couldn't ask for Satyavan's life. Savitri, cleverly using this opportunity, asked for a hundred children for her and Satyavan. Yamraj, once again moved by Savitri's determination, granted her another wish without any conditions. Finally, Savitri asked for the most important thing – the life of her beloved husband.

The Importance of Vat Purnima Vrat

In Hinduism, the Banyan tree holds special significance as it symbolises the three supreme deities – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. During Vat Savitri Vrat, married women observe a three-day fast, starting two days before the Amavasya or Purnima in the Jyestha month. This tradition is rooted in the belief that similar to Savitri's devoted efforts to revive her husband from impending death, observing this fast brings good luck and fortune for husbands.

Rules and Benefits of Vat Purnima Vrat

On this auspicious day, women begin with a holy bath in the morning to purify both mind and body. Married women participating in the vrat wear new colourful clothes, and bright bangles, and apply vermillion on their foreheads. They adorn their hair with a Banyan leaf and offer nine types of fruits to Goddess Savitri. Fruits like wet pulses, rice, mangos, jackfruits, palm fruits, kendu, bananas, and others are presented as offerings. The day is spent narrating the story of Savitri Vrat.

Once the rituals are complete, women partake in the offered food and seek blessings from their husbands and elders in the family. It is believed that by sincerely observing Vat Savitri Vrat, married Hindu women can bring blessings of a better life, long life, and prosperity for their husbands. Those who faithfully perform all the rituals associated with Vat Savitri Vrat are said to enjoy a happy and peaceful married life.

Conclusion

Vat Savitri Vrat is a revered Hindu festival celebrated across India with distinct regional variations. The devoted rituals and prayers by married women symbolise the commitment to marital bliss. Rooted in the timeless story of Savitri, the festival underscores the profound bond and aspirations for the well-being of spouses.