Sabitri Brata: Prayers for long life span of husbands
On Friday, married women in Odisha flocked to temples to observe Sabitri Puja, also known as 'Sabitri Brata'. The festival is very important to Hindu married women because they fast on this auspicious day for the longevity and well-being of their husbands.
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Bhubaneswar: On Friday, married women in Odisha flocked to temples to observe Sabitri Puja, also known as 'Sabitri Brata'. The festival is very important to Hindu married women because they fast on this auspicious day for the longevity and well-being of their husbands.
Sabitri Bratai occurs during the month of Jyestha (May-June) on Amavasya Tithi (new moon). It is named after Sabitri, whose story is told in the Mahabharata to demonstrate the power of chastity and devotion to one's husband.
According to legend, Sabitri's husband Satyaban was doomed to die within a year of their marriage. On the appointed day, Yama appeared to take Satyaban's soul, but Sabitri begged him to spare her husband's life.
Yama was moved by Sabitri's determination and devotion to her husband, and Satyban was brought back to life with five boons that she managed to extract from him.
Women bathe early in the morning, wear new clothes and bangles, apply vermilion to their foreheads, and fast on this day. They then visit various temples and offer Bhoga (offering), which consists of wet pulses, rice, dates, mangos, jackfruits, palm fruits, kendu, bananas, and several other fruits, and observe the Sabitri Brata Katha festival. During the day, married women listen to or recite the story of Sabitri and Satyaban, which celebrates conjugal love triumphing over death.
In addition, the women seek the blessings of their husbands and elderly relatives.
