Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India
Vat Savitri Puja is observed by the married women, who worship Savitri-Satyvan and the Vat (banyan) tree.
The vat Savitri vrat pooja vidhi is one of the highly auspicious Hindu festivals, known as Jyeshtha Purnima or the Vat Savitri Purnima. This vrat or fast is mainly observed by the married women for the longevity and prosperity of their husbands and they pray for a happy and peaceful married life. The Vat Savitri puja vidhi is commemorated by Hindus residing all over India as well as abroad. This sacred vrat is dedicated to Goddess Gauri and Sati Savitri. The vat Savitri puja vidhi is commemorated with great pomp and show in the state of Maharashtra and Gujarat, though it is also observed in the Indian states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa.
In the southern states of India like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, this festivalis called as ‘KaradaiyanNonbu’. This vrat or fast is observed with great joy all over India and is also considered to be a symbol of womanhood.
Worshipping the banyan tree is of vital importance in this festival. The vratSavitri puja vidhi continues for three days and during these three days of Trayadashi, Chaturdashi and Amavasi or Purnima, married women fast and consume the roots of the Banyan tree. On the fourth day of the vrat or fast, they wake up early in the morning and after a ritual bath; dress up as brides adorned with jewellery and vermillion on the forehead.
They offer prayers to the vat Vriksha or Banyan tree, sprinkle vermillion over it and tie sacred threads around the trunk of the tree. They move around the trees, several times and chant prayers and it is called parikrama or pradakshina.
In the state of Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand, women observe the vratSavitri puja vidhi on Amavasya (new moon) day in Jyeshtha month every year. A treatise named the Savitri Vrat katha in Odia language is read out while the puja is being performed. On the other hand, in the western states of India, this festival is observed on the Purnima (full moon), instead of Amavasya, of the month and is known as Vat Purnima.
It is a popular belief that Savitri got her husband back from the jaws of death on the first day of the Tamil month “Panguni.”As a result, this day is celebrated as “KaradayanNonbu” in Tamil Nadu. On this day, the married women, clad in yellow robes, pray to the Hindu goddesses, for the long lives of their husbands. The young girls draped in yellow robes, pray to get good husbands in the future.
