Married Women Across Jajpur Observe Savitri Puja
JAJPUR,MAY 30: Married woman across Jajpur are observing Savitri Puja or Sabitri Brata On Monday . Usually, they throng the nearest temple with ‘sindoor’, ‘alta’, bangles, sacred thread (Brata) fruits and flowers and pray for the well-being and long lives of their respective husbands on the auspicious occasion of Savitri Puja.
Married women observe this day by fasting and then offering prayers to Yama (god of death), Sabitri and Satyaban with great devotion and fervour for the long life of their husbands. While this puja is associated with the married Indian women across India, transgenders in Odisha too observe fast on this day as they pray for the well-being and long life of their ‘gurus’.
Vat Savitri Puja Is a Celebration of Our Marriage and Husband Long Life . Social worker Rachita Mishra Said The Brata was named after Savitri. She was the beautiful daughter of King Aswapati of Madra Desa. She selected Satyaban as her life partner, a prince in exile who was living in the forest with his blind father Dyumatsen. She left the palace and lived with her husband and the in-laws in the forest. As a devoted wife and daughter-in-law, she went to great lengths to take care of them.
One day while cutting wood in the forest, Satyaban’s head reeled and he fell down from a tree. Savitri accompanied him on that day. Then Yamraj, the death God, appeared to take away his soul. Deeply hurt, Savitri pleaded to Yamraj not to be separated from her husband. If he would take away the soul of her husband; she would also follow. Yamraj, moved by the devotion of Savitri, returned the life of her husband. Women wake up early in the morning on the Savitri Brata day and after taking bath, wear new clothes and ornaments including bangles. All married women use red vermillion on the forehead, which is elongated to touch the line parting the hair.
Savitri is symbolically represented by the grinding stone, locally known as Sila Pua. The grinding stone is thoroughly cleaned and worshipped. Bhoga or offering to Savitri consists of rice, wet pulses and locally available fruits like mango, jackfruit, banana, palm, date palm, etc. The fasting begins at sunrise and ends after sunset with the evening prayers.
The fast is broken by consuming the offering made to Savitri. Women also make it a point to read or listen to the Savitri Brata Katha mentioned in the Mahabharata.Added MIshra. Priyamada Pattnnik “We should respect our tradition and culture but not by torturing ourselves. If you are okay with fast, as a doctor I can give go-ahead to you. But if you are not physically fit, I must advise you to refrain from the fast. I keep fast for my husband but I do eat frequently. After all, love and understanding matters to run a successful marriage.” Nirupama Rout Said I have observed the Savitri Btata festival to pray for your long and healthy life. May you always remain in good health and the love between us deepen with every passing day.
