Ahoi Ashtami Date 2024 and Time, Story and Rituals – GHdays.in
Ahoi Ashtami, a significant Hindu festival, is observed approximately 8 days before the popular Diwali celebration, specifically on Krishna Paksha Ashtami. Depending on the region, it aligns with the Kartik month in North India under the Purnimant calendar and the Ashvin month in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and other southern states following the Amanta calendar. Despite the slight disparity in the naming of the month, the fasting rituals for Ahoi Ashtami are uniformly performed on the same day.
This fasting and worship ceremony on Ahoi Ashtami are specifically devoted to Mata Ahoi, also known as Goddess Ahoi, revered by mothers seeking the prosperity and longevity of their offspring. Referred to as Ahoi Aathe, this day signifies fasting on the Ashtami Tithi, denoting the eighth day of the lunar month. It is notable that Ahoi Mata is synonymous with Goddess Lakshmi.
Ahoi Ashtami Date 2024: Thursday, 24 October
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Ahoi Ashtami Date 2024 Overview
| Festival Name | Ahoi Ashtami |
| Also called | Karak Ashtami, Karashatmi (Marathi), Avahi Aathein (Awadhi) |
| Observed by | Hindu Mothers |
| Type | Hindu festival day |
| Celebrations | 1 day |
| Observances | Fasting by mothers |
| Begins | Eighth day of the waning moon fortnight (Krishna paksha) in the month of Kartik |
| Date | October/November |
| Related Topic | Click here |
Ahoi Ashtami Date and Time 2024
Ahoi Ashtami, a significant Hindu festival, falls on Thursday, October 24, 2024. This auspicious day marks a time for devotees to offer prayers and seek blessings for the well-being of their children. The Ahoi Ashtami Puja Muhurat, the most propitious time for performing the rituals, is set from 17:45 to 18:59, lasting for 1 hour and 14 minutes.
Additionally, on the same day, there is a special event called Govardhana Radha Kunda Snan to purify oneself through a ceremonial bath. The evening time for sighting stars, known as Sanjh, commences at 18:07. Moreover, the moonrise on Ahoi Ashtami occurs at 12:14 AM on October 25, 2024. The Ashtami Tithi, the eighth day in the lunar Hindu calendar, begins at 01:18 AM on October 24, 2024, and concludes at 01:58 AM on October 25, 2024, signifying the end of the auspicious day.
| Ahoi Ashtami Date 2024 | Thursday, 24 October |
| Ahoi Ashtami Date 2025 | Monday, 13 October |
| Ahoi Ashtami Date 2026 | Sunday, 1 November |
| Ahoi Ashtami Date 2027 | Friday, 22 October |
| Ahoi Ashtami Date 2028 | Wednesday, 11 October |
| Ahoi Ashtami Date 2029 | Tuesday, 30 October |
Traditions of Ahoi Ashtami
In the solemn hours of fasting, women begin their day with a purifying bath, followed by a heartfelt pledge, known as Sankalp, dedicated to the prosperity and protection of their offspring. This vow entails a commitment to abstain from nourishment and hydration until the auspicious moment of star or moon sighting in accordance with ancestral customs.
Preparations for the ritual are meticulously completed before dusk descends. Women adorn the walls with the depiction of Goddess Ahoi using ochre pigment or skilled embroidery on fabric, adorning their sacred space. It is imperative that any representation of Ahoi Mata for the ceremony bears Ashtha Koshthak, symbolizing the festival’s connection to Ashtami Tithi. The divine image is typically accompanied by depictions of children and a majestic lion.
Invocation of Ahoi Mata
The sanctified prayer area is consecrated with holy water, embellished with intricate Alpana designs. Wheat grains are scattered on the ground or a wooden pedestal, while a water-filled vessel, known as Kalash, is positioned at the altar, sealed with an earthen lid.
Atop the Kalash rests a small earthen pot, often a Karwa, filled with water and securely capped. The mouth of the Karwa is obstructed with grass shoots, commonly utilizing Sarai Seenka, a type of willow foliage. Seven shoots are tenderly offered to Ahoi Mata and the revered lion. Sarai shoots are in high demand during this festival, particularly in rural Indian settlements; alternatively, cotton buds can serve as substitutes if grass shoots are scarce.
The ceremonial feast comprises 8 Puri, 8 Pua, and Halwa as offerings. These delicacies are reverently presented to a Brahmin priest along with a token of monetary appreciation.
Story of Ahoi Mata
In ancient times, there resided a wealthy man who had seven sons. During the auspicious month of Kartik, just before the joyous Diwali festivities, the man’s wife embarked on sprucing up their home for the upcoming celebrations. To enhance the beauty of her abode, she ventured into the woods to gather soil. Inadvertently, while excavating the earth, she unintentionally caused the demise of a lion cub with her digging tool. Enraged, the lion cursed her with a fate of similar misfortune, leading to the tragic loss of all seven of her children within a year.
Overwhelmed with sorrow, the couple decided to end their lives during a final pilgrimage. They journeyed until exhaustion overcame them, collapsing in despair. Witnessing their plight, God took pity on them and delivered a divine message urging them to return home, honor the sacred cow, and venerate Goddess Ahoi, the guardian of all offspring in the natural world. Encouraged by this spiritual guidance, the couple retraced their steps back home.
Complying with the celestial directive, when the day of Ashtami arrived, the wife sketched the visage of the young lion and observed a fast in devotion to Goddess Ahoi. She sincerely atoned for her unwitting transgression. Impressed by her heartfelt dedication and contrition, Goddess Ahoi appeared before her, granting her the blessing of fertility as a token of approval for her penitence.
Ahoi Ashtami Date 2024 Vidhi and Rituals
Performing the Ahoi Ashtami Puja is believed to bring blessings, provided it is conducted with adherence to all the customary rituals. Here is a guide to the essential practices for the Ahoi Ashtami Puja ceremony:
- Sankalp: On the day of Ahoi Ashtami festival, women commit to fasting for the longevity of their offspring. This pledge, known as Sankalp, marks the beginning of the observance.
- Ahoi Ashtami Puja: The Ahoi Mata is venerated during the Ahoi Ashtami Puja ceremony. Women traditionally conduct this Puja in the evening, reciting the Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha and exchanging well-wishes by saying “Happy Ahoi Ashtami”. The Puja involves using a silver Syau, offering roli, rice, and milk, and wearing the Syau as a pendant afterwards. The Ahoi Ashtami Aarti is also an integral part of the worship.
- Ahoi Ashtami Upaaye: Offerings to the Goddess during the Puja include red and white flowers, along with delicacies like halwa, sandalwood, and pua. Lighting a diya under a peepal tree in the evening is a common practice.
- Star Worship: Following the Puja and recitation of the Ahoi Ashtami Katha in the evening, women offer Arghya to the stars. Using a Kalash for this ritual, devotees end their fast by consuming Prasad dedicated to the Goddess.
- Connection with Krishnashtmi: Ahoi Ashtami is also referred to as Krishnashtami since it falls on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar. This day holds special significance for individuals struggling with fertility issues. Taking a ceremonial bath in Radha Kunda, a sacred pond in Mathura, is believed to bestow auspicious blessings on this day.