For 33-year-old Sanjana Jadhav, resident of Girgaum, this will be the second time she will be fasting for Vat Purnima. On this day, married women across India perform rituals for the long life of their husbands. The day, which is holy for Hindus, falls in the period of May-June.
For 33-year-old Sanjana Jadhav, resident of Girgaum, this will be the second time she will be fasting for Vat Purnima. On this day, married women across India perform rituals for the long life of their husbands. The day, which is holy for Hindus, falls in the period of May-June.
"On this day we fast, get together and offer prayers to a banyan tree. We are supposed to tie a thread to the banyan tree for our husbands' long life," said Jadhav. Held almost across India, the ritual has a mythological tale attached to it. It is stated that by praying on this day and listening to the story of Savitri, women will be given a boon of long life for their husbands.
"Hence on this day we first go and tie a thread to the banyan tree and then listen to her story," said Jadhav. It is stated that Savitri and Satyavan were together and Satyavan was sleeping on her lap when the lord of death arrived to take his soul away. Savitri pleaded that he be let alone. The lord of death, Yama, then granted a boon to her after her prayers. Savitiri first asked for her parents to be happy. But as he made another attempt to take away her husband's soul, she began her prayers all over again. This time he gave her another boon and that was for her in-laws. When Yama almost reached his abode, the unrelenting Savitri continued to pray to stop him from taking her husband away.
The third time Savitri asked for a child. After granting the boon, Yama found himself in a peculiar situation. She said that she would need her husband for a child. Yama realised that he was outfoxed, and let her husband off. Women across India re-live the myth through the rituals conducted on this day.
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