Ahoi Ashtami 2023- Importance Of The Festival And The Ahoi Vrat And Puja

History Of Ahoi Ashtami – Blessings For The Progeny

Ahoi Ashtami festival is celebrated on the eighth day of Kartik’s Krishna Paksha. This auspicious festival is celebrated for the health and well-being of children. Ahoi Ashtami is celebrated four days after Karwa Chauth and is also known by the name Ahoi Athe. This day, women observe fast (Ahoi Vrat) for the long life of their children. Mothers earn blessings by worshipping Ahoi Mata.

Important Dates And Times Of Ahoi Ashtami 2023

Ahoi Ashtami Katha – Significance Of Ahoi Vrat Katha

There once lived in a village near a dense forest, a kind, devoted woman who had 7 children. The woman planned to renovate her house in the month of Kartik, just a few days before the Diwali festivities. She went to the forest to get some soil to repair her house. While digging the ground, she accidentally killed a lion cub with her spade. She was greatly distressed and guilty for what happened to the poor cub.

Within a year, all her seven children disappeared without a trace. It was assumed by her and the villagers that they had been killed by some wild animals. The woman was very sad and blamed her killing of the cub for her misfortune. She related her woes to the wise old ladies of the village who suggested that she should pray to the Goddess Ahoi Bhagwati, the incarnation of Goddess Parvati, by sketching the face of the cub she had killed. She was also advised to observe fast and perform puja to the Goddess for the atonement of her sin. According to the ahoi mata katha, the Goddess Ahoi was known to be the protector of the offsprings.

The woman chose the day of Ahoi Ashtami to worship Goddess Ahoi. When Ashtam’s day came, the lady drew the cub’s face and observed Ahoi Mata vrat and also performed Ahoi Puja. She sincerely repented for her sin, and her integrity and loyalty appealed to Goddess Ahoi, who then appeared before her and gave her the boon of her sons’ long lives. Soon after that, all her seven sons came back home alive. Since then, the tradition of ahoi ashtami has been carried through every year on the day of Kartik Krishna Ashtami, worshipping Goddess Ahoi Bhagawati. Mothers relate Ahoi Vrat katha, pray and fast on this day for their children’s well-being.

Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Vidhi

On the fasting day, women should take the pledge, named Sankalp, that they keep fast for their kids’ well-being after taking their morning baths. In Sankalp, it is recited that fasting is without food or water and that after viewing the stars or the moon, the fast is broken in accordance with its traditional family life.

In ancient times mothers observed Ahoi Ashtami Vrat from dawn to dusk for the well-being of their sons. However, now things have changed, and the fast is observed not just for the well-being of sons but also for the daughters.

The women break their fast only after sighting stars in the sky. Some of them break their fast after sighting the moon, but that might be difficult as the moon rises late on the night of Ahoi Ashtami.

Ahoi Ashtami vrat is a lot like the Karwa Chauth fast, which women keep on the Chaturthi tithi of Kartik month for the long life of their husbands. Karwa Chauth is more popular among people in North India as it marks the beginning of the festival of Diwali.

Ahoi Vrat falls between Diwali and Karwa Chauth, that is, approximately eight days before Diwali Puja and four days after Karwa Chauth. As the Ahoi Ashtami vrat vidhi is done during Ashtami tithi, which is the eighth day of the month, it is also called Ahoi Aathe.

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Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi

Ahoi Ashtami is a very strict fasting day, just like the Karwa Chauth. On this day, too, the women abstain from both food and water throughout the day.

• The Ahoi Ashtami Puja begins by painting the image of the Ahoi Goddess on the wall and placing a bowl of water on it. Nowadays, people get posters or pictures of Ahoi Mata instead of painting her picture.
• An untwisted red thread is tied around the bowl, and the edges are dusted with turmeric powder. The bowl is then placed on the left of the picture.
• An elderly lady reads the ahoi mata katha or the Ahoi Ashtami Katha while the other ladies gather around to listen.
• Some grains are placed on a plate and kept at the centre of the picture of Ahoi Mata. The other food offerings comprise halwa and puri, boiled chana and jowar. People nowadays also offer sweets that are their childrens’ favourite.
• People place money as offerings before the picture of the Goddess.
• Once the story reading is done, the sweets and money are distributed among the children and elders of the family. Some people make garlands of the coins or money notes to which they keep adding as the child is born and when he gets married.
• Each year, the picture of Goddess Ahoi is decorated with this garland and this tradition is carried out in the same way for generations to come.

Conclusion – Ahoi Ashtami

The well being of progeny is important for every parent. Ahoi Ashtami vrat is symbolic of the long life and happiness of the children. This fast is observed by women who wish to have children and the mothers who wish well for their children. In many places, you can still find pictures of Ahoi mata on the walls of the houses.

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With Ganesha’s Grace,
Astrologers trained by Shri Bejan Daruwalla
The GaneshaSpeaks Team