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Devi Savitri
Sanskrit Transliteration	सावित्री
Affiliation	Devi

Savitri Brata(Oriya:ସାବିତ୍ରୀ ଓଷା or ସାବିତ୍ରୀ ବ୍ରତ) or Savitri Amavasya(Oriya:ସାବିତ୍ରୀ ଅମାବାସ୍ୟା) is observed by all Hindu Oriya married women on the Amavasya, the last day of the dark fortnight, in the month of Jyestha.

This day is most favorable for the married Hindu women whose husbands are alive. They observe it as a vow with great dedication and pray for the long life of their husbands. The word reflects the whole origin and significance of the Vat-Savitri puja. A fasting day for married women, the ritual practiced for Savitri is meant for the well-being and long life of the husband. The fasting is dedicated to Savitri and Satyavan; her husband who was destined to die within one year but was brought back to life by her severe penance. The God of death, Yama, is implored by Savitri when he is about to leave his body. Due to her sheer determination and devotion to her husband, she wins him back to life and soon Satyavan regains his lost kingdom.

Legend behind the festival[link]

The vrata has been named after Savitri. Savitri was the beautiful daughter of King Aswapati of Madra Desa. She selected Satyavan 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 jungle, Satyavan's head reeled and he fell down from a tree. He then breathed his last breath on the lap of his beloved wife, Savitri. Then Yamraj, the death God, appeared to take away the soul of Satyavan from his body. Deeply hurt, Savitri pleaded to Yamraj not to be separated from her husband. If anything, he would take away the soul of her husband and she would also follow. Yamraj, moved by the devotion of Savitri, returned the life of her husband. Satyavan got back his life again and both of them lived happily thereafter.

Customs & Rituals[link]

All Hindu women observe this festival by worshiping and propitiating Savitri as a Devi. In the early morning, women take purificatory baths, wear new clothes and bangles, and apply vermilion on their foreheads. On Savitri Brata, 9 types of fruits and 9 types of flower are offered to the Goddess Savitri. Wet pulses, rice, mangos, jackfruits, palm fruits, kendu, bananas and several other fruits are offered as Bhoga (offering) and observe the festival with Savitri barta katha. After fasting for the whole day, the fasting women simply take the Bhoga. In the afternoon, when all formalities of worship are over, they bow low to their respective husbands and elderly people.

See also[link]

• Festivals of Orissa
• Savitri and Satyavan
• Karva Chauth

References[link]

External links[link]

• Download 'Savitri Brata Katha' in Odia and English from Oriyanari.com
• Festivals of Orissa

v t e Festivals in the Hindu calendar Major festivals Pongal Makar Sankranti Holi Rama Navami Krishna Janmashtami Maha Shivaratri Onam Ganesh Chaturthi Navratri (Mysore Dasara – Durga Puja – Vijayadashami) Diwali (Bhau-Beej) Chhath Vat Purnima Thaipusam Regional New Year Gudi Padwa (Marathi, Konkani) Ugadi (Telugu, Kannada) Cheti Chand (Sindhi) Bihu (Assamese) Bisu (Tuluva) Vaisakhi (Punjabi) Vishuva Sankranti (Oriya) Pohela Boishakh (Bengali) Puthandu (Tamil) Vishu (Malayalee) Holy days Ekadashi Gowri Habba Karwa Chauth Mahalakshmi Vrata Raksha Bandhan Sankranti Savitri Brata Thaipusam Holy periods Chaturmas Dhanurmas