Ashoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi, Date, Puja, Sankalp, Vrath Katha, Preparation And More

Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi, a puja that is performed by mothers and married women. They pray for their child's well-being or pray to goddess to bless them with one if they dont have. Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi is slightly different from those of others. The vrath katha is also equally interesting.

by V Sruthi | Updated Oct 26, 2021

Source: Patrika

Ahoi Ashtami Puja

The Karwa Chauth vrat is similar to the Ahoi Ashtami vrat. On this day, women fast for a day in order to pray for their children's well-being. On the Ashtami Tithi, Krishna Paksha of the Hindu month of Kartik, mothers and married women (who aspire to have a child) fast for a day to pray for their children and to be blessed with a child, respectively.

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Ahoi Ashtami, or Ahoi Athen in common parlance, is a festival dedicated to mothers. On Ahoi Ashtami, the fasting and Puja are dedicated to Mata Ahoi, or Goddess Ahoi. Women venerate her for the well-being and longevity of their children. Because fasting for Ahoi Ashtami is done on Ashtami Tithi, this day is also known as Ahoi Aathe.

When is Ahoi Ashtami Puja?

In the months of October and November, Ahoi Ashtami is observed (8th day after full moon of Kartik Hindu month). This festival occurs a week prior to Diwali. Mothers fast all day and then offer Pooja water to the stars and prey in the evening in exchange for their children's long lives. This year it happens to be on 8th of November. It usually falls in the week of Diwali and and the celebration knows no bounds. The rules to keep vratha and the vrata katha that is the story is also mentioned below.

Ahoi Ashtami Puja-vratha katha

There are several variants of the Katha, and they differ from one place to the next. The following is one of the most popular versions: A father and his wife resided there with their seven sons. His wife went to the wilderness one day to get some clay/mud. She accidentally murdered an animal's young while tilling the land with a sharp implement (in some versions, she killed a lioness' cubs). And, in its anguish, the animal cursed the mother, saying she would lose all of her children and suffer the same parting grief. The curse of the animal came true, and the woman lost all of her sons.

The husband and his wife were on their way to seek forgiveness for an unwittingly committed sin when they received a heavenly prophecy telling them to worship a holy cow and pray to Ahoi Mata for her blessings. Following that, the man's wife diligently followed all of the directions and prayed to Ahoi Mata with complete devotion. She completed all of the ceremonies and was shortly blessed by the Mother Goddess with a kid.

Ahoi Ashtami Puja-Vidhi and preparation

Puja preparations should be done during Sayankal, or before nightfall. On the wall, women should draw the image of Goddess Ahoi. Due to the festival's association with Ashtami Tithi, any depiction of Ahoi Mata used for the Puja should have Ashtha Koshthak () i.e. eight corners. Along with Goddess Ahoi, the images of Sei (i.e. the hedgehog and its offspring) should be brought close to the Goddess. Sei is a spiny mammal from Ahoi Ashtami's folklore. If sketching an image on the wall is not possible, a large Ahoi Ashtami Puja wallpaper might be utilised instead. Most Puja calendars also have seven sons and daughters-in-law from Ahoi Ashtami's narrative.

After that, holy water is used to sanctify the place of prayer, and Alpana is drawn. One water-filled Kalash should be kept at the place of prayer after spreading wheat on the floor or on the wooden stool. An earthen covering should be placed over the Kalash's mouth. On top of the Kalash, a small earthen pot, ideally Karwa, is maintained. The water is poured into the Karwa, which is then covered with its lid. The grass shoots have obstructed the Karwa's nozzle. Sarai Seenka , which is a kind of willow, is the most usually utilised shoot. During Puja, the seven shoots of the grass are also offered to Ahoi Mata and Sei. The offerings includes 8 Puri, 8 Pua, and Halwa are some of the food items used in Puja. After adding some money, these food items are given to an elderly lady in the family or a Brahmin.

Ahoi Ashtami Puja-Sankalp

Women should take the Sankalp commitment to keep the fast for the sake of their children after taking a morning wash on the day of fasting. During Sankalp, it is also said that the fasting will be without food or water, and that the fast would be broken after seeing the stars or moon, as per their family tradition.

अहोई अष्‍टमी की पूजा विधि -Puja Vidhi In Hindi

इस दिन अहोई माता (Ahoi Mata) की पूजा की जाती है. इसके लिए दीवार पर या कागज पर गेरू से अहोई माता का चित्र बनाएं और साथ ही सेई और उसके 7 पुत्रों का भी चित्र बनाएं. फिर अपने बच्‍चों के कल्‍याण और उनकी सुख-समृद्धि की कामना करते हुए पूजा शुरू करें. इसके लिए अहोई माता के चित्र के सामने एक चौकी रखकर उस पर जल से भरा कलश रखें. कलश पर स्वास्तिक बनाएं. फिर रोली-चावल से माता की पूजा करें. उन्‍हें मीठे पुए या आटे के हलवे का भोग लगाएं. इसके बाद हाथ में गेंहू के 7 दाने लेकर अहोई माता की कथा सुनें. आखिर में चंद्रमा और तारों को अर्घ्य दें. इस साल अहोई अष्टमी पूजा का शुभ मुहूर्त (Ahoi Ashtami Puja Shubh Muhurat) 28 अक्टूबर 2021, गुरुवार को शाम 05:39 से 06:56 तक है. वहीं तारों को देखने का समय शाम को करीब 06:03 बजे है.

(Source:https://www.amarujala.com)

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Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi-FAQ

1. How to do ahoi ashtami pooja?

Cover a Kalash that has been filled with water with a lid. Then, on top of the Kalash, place a Karwa (earthen pitcher filled with water). Ask Ahoi Mata for her blessings on your children and pray to her. Offer Ahoi Mata Gandham, Pushpam, Deepam, Dhoop, and Naivedyam.

2. What do we do on Abhoi ashtami pooja?

Women get up before daybreak on this day, bathe, and take some refreshments before going to the temple to give their prayers. For the sake of their children's health, they take a'sankalp' (pledge) to fast without drinking water or eating food.

3. Why do we fast on ashtami?

For Hindus, Durgashtami or Mahashtami is one of the most auspicious days. Devotees keep a fast and do special puja on this day, as is customary. Fasting is used by Hindus to purify themselves so that they can concentrate properly during performing puja.

4. Which colour should you wear during Navratri?

On this day, devotees must dress in white to appease the Goddess, as white denotes purity, calm, and meditation. On the sixth day of Navratri, Mata Katyayani is worshipped. The colour red is linked with her. The colour red is connected with both beauty and bravery.

5. What is ashtami Pooja?

Durga Ashtami, also known as Maha Ashtami, is one of the most auspicious days of the Durga Puja Festival, which lasts five days. This day is also known as 'Astra Puja' (Worshiping Weapons), as the goddess Durga's weapons are honoured on this day.