VAT SAVIRITI-HOW TO OBSERVE

VAT SAVITRI

This year was going to be mine 2nd Vat Savitri. I was very confident that i must have updated each and every thing how i have performed this puja for the first time in my blog. But to my surprise i haven't written anything for this puja in my blog. Neither i have drafted anything for this. So this time i have decided i will upload as soon as i will get time to write about my this Puja. So here i got time and i am saying how to observe this Puja:

STORY BEHIND OBSERVING VAT SAVITRI:

The vrata has been named after Savitri. Savitri was the beautiful daughter of king Aswapati of Madra Desa. She selected Satyavan as her life's 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 took all pain to take care of them. One day while cutting wood in the jungle Satyavan head reeled and he fell down from the tree and then breathed his last on the lap of his beloved wife, Savitri. Then appeared Yamraj, the death God to take away the soul of Satyavan from his body. Deeply hurt Savitri, pleaded to Yamraj not to be separated from her husband. If at all 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. Satyavan got back his life again and both of them lived happily thereafter

How to Observe This Vrat:

Vat Savitri Puja is mainly observed to pray for a long and healthy life for husbands. 
I have seen my mom,sister and also have been told by mom-in law we have to prepare special bhog to give to the Devi.
Note: We have to make Puri (should be deep fried in Ghee, preferably  and we have to make a tough dough of Wheat flour with jaggery water i.e.the Wheat flour should be kneaded with water with jaggery mixed in it.

• One night before the vat savitri soak red chana in water and next morning take the Red chana out from the water and keep aside for prasad.
• I got up earling morning after taking bath. I keep the jaggery in little water and keep it aside for 15 minutes so that the jaggery is fully dissolved in water.
• Meanwhile i prepared the dough for my Puri and prepared 4 puri for the bhog (and rest for giving other members in the family as prasadam). 
• When the jaggery is fully dissolved in water knead another dough. It should be hard enough. Make 12 small balls of equal size and deep fried this Ball in ghee( to be given to the goddess as Bhog) Rest you can make to give other members of your family as Prasad. This deep fried balls are called as Bargadahi.
• Your Prasad and bhog are ready that you have to give for the puja.
• We also have to give the goddess all Singar items like Sindoor, Mehndi,Small mirror, Comb,or anything you want we can take.
• WE have to go around the Banyan Tree and tie a sootha. This is called as kaccha sootha. This sootha should be kept in turmeric paste so that the sootha can get yellow colour.

Image of Banyan Tree

• Soak little bit of raw rice in water one night before and grind it to a smooth paste.
• Take flower and jal also along with you.
• Now my preparation was all over.
• Wear new saree or suit along with bangles and do a sola singaar.
• Go to a temple or anyplace where you can find Banyan Tree as during Vrat Saviriti we mainly worship Banyan Tree.
• Take out all your preparation. Also pick banyan leaves tree and keep one leave in your hair. rest 4 banyan tree leaves place in them on floor near banyan tree.
• Keep one puri on each banyan tree leaves and on the top of each puri keep 3 bargadi (balls prepared by jaggery )and soaked red chana.
• Pour wate on the roots of the banyan Tree
• Add a little turmeric to the rice paste and do the tilak of Banyan Tree with this paste.
• Light a diya and agarbatti and worship the banyan tree.
• Then offer the banyan tree all 4 banyan leaves on which we have kept puri and bargadhai
• now tie the sootha along the banyan tree and take 7 rounds of of Banyan Tree
• Now recite or listen to the Vat Saviriti Katha . while listening or reciting the katha keep flowers in your hand and once the katha is over give the flowers to banyan tree.
• Take blessings from your elder ones and husband and give each member of the family with Puri,bargadahi and red chana as Prasad.
• Many Women observe the fast after doing the Puja.
• My mom, sister and mom-in-law also have never observe fast after doing the Puja.So same was applied to me.
• I was not supposed to observe the fast after doing the Puja.
• But whatever we will prepare it should be without onion and garlic.
• So i have prepared red chana and Potato gravy along with Puri.
• Thus i have done my Puja successfully.
• Note: Once you have completed 7 rounds of banyan tree and if some sootha is remaining do not break it just insert it where you have completed the rounds.

KARWA CHAUTH

KARWA CHAUTH: How to Observe and do puja

This Year KARWA Chauth is on November 2nd 2012. This time i will tell you how we can do the Puaj during KARWA Chauth.
'KARWA Chauth' is the festival observed by the married women of our country. It is celebrated for ensuring wedded bliss and wishing long life for their husbands and children.On this day married women keep a fast for the well-being and long life of their husbands. The celebration of Karwa Chauth varies from region to region depending on the culture and traditions of that state.
It falls on the day of Chaturthi ( 4th day of the month ) month of Karthik , Krishna Paksha. Women observe fasts all days long, then worship the 'Karwa' and the elderly woman of the family narrates the legend of Karwa Chauth (the narration of Vrat Katha (Story)). Then they wait for the moon to rise and as soon as the moon is sighted, prayers are offered to the moon. The fasting women first observe the moon through a sieve and then break their fast. The first sip of water and the first bite of food are offered by the husband.

Puja Ki tayari:

Puja Samagri: Things needed to do PujaFruit,Flower,Nariyal (Coconut),Mithai (Sweets) , Mitti ka Karwa: 1 , Jak ka lota:1, Pital ka karwa:1, Chalani, Prasad ke liye Mithai (Sweets),Shiv Parvati Ganesh ki  tasveer,Paan ka patta (betel Leaves)Supari,Deep,Dhoop,Akshat, Agarbatti,Chalani (Sieve),Karwa Chauth Calendar
Note: If you don't have a Peetal Karwa you can use Mitti ka Karwa.

How to do Puja:

• Clean the Place where you are going to Do Pooja

• Make a aplana,rangoli aur chok there.

• Keep one Wooden Plat over it. Cover the wooden Plat by a red Cloth.

• Keep Shiv Parvati Ganesh Photo Frmae over the wooden Plat. Some People also keep Gaua Maa (made with cow Dung). This is not possible in Cities. So you can do the Puja with Photo Frame only.  When i have observed my 1st Kawa Chauth my mom had send Gaura Ma so i also kept that.

• Paste the Karwa Chauth Calendar in the Wall where you are doing Puja. Kawra Chuth Calender is easily available in any Puja store and will look like the following: I got 1st type of Karwa Chauth Calendar:

• Karwa Decoration: 

• Take Turmeric and add water to the Turmeric and make a smooth Paste. Apply this Turmeric Paste to both the Karwa (Mitti ka Karwa and Petal Ka Karwa).

• Take one of the Karwa (Mitti ka karwa) add Dhan and sweets onto it. Keep a Lid of Karwa over it. Keep Some Batasa (sugar) and some money over the Lid. Your one Karwa is Ready. This Karwa will be for mother In Law.

• Take Another Karwa (Pital ka karwa). Repeat the same with this Karwa also. This Karwa will be for You. We will keep both the Karwa near the Shiv Parvati Photo.

• Take a spherical shape water vessel of made from either brass or copper. Keep it filled with water and keep aside.

• Light a Akhand Jyoti. which should be Light  throughout while we are Doing Puja

• Now we will start Puja

How to Start Pooja:

• First of all we will do the Tilak of Shiv Parvati Ganesha Karthik and Both the Karwa and the Calendar that we have Paste on the Wall.

• At First we will offer water to the Karwa,karwa chauth Calender and goddess.

• Then Tilak will be done with Chandan,Sindoor and Akshat.

• After this we will offer Flowers to the God.

• Then offer Suhag items to the Maa Parvati ( I have not done as I will be observing Teej Also so mom and mom-in Law i don't have to offer Suhag items as i am doing this in Hartalika Teej). Sughag items include Chudi (Bangles),Bindi,Alta,Mehndi, Comb and whatever you want).

• After this we will offer the BHOG. Bhog can include the following.

1. Sweets

1. Pua or MalPua

1. Poori

1. supari Kept on Bettel Leaves.

• Also keep the gift you have bought for your Mother-In-Law. Mainally people will keep Saree. AS i am leaving alone with my Husband so i have kept money for her and whenever i will visit her i will purchase something and will gift her.

Story Time

• Keep Akshat or wheat seeds on to your hand and resite or Listen to the Karwa Chauth Story.

• When the story is finished tie the akshat in one corner of your Saree.

• Now we will do aarti of Shiv Parvati and Ganesh.

• Now we have to Wait for Moon to Rise

Moon Rise.

• When moon rise take a chalani (sieve),Brass Vessel (in which you kept Water), Flower and go to a open area or on the Rooftop of your house or Apartment.

• With the Help of chalani see moon and offer him water then akshat that you have tied in one end of your saree Corner. Offer him Sweets and Deep and do prayers.

• Now with that chalani see your husband and do prayers for long life of your husband.

• Touch the Feet of your Husbacd.

• Now the Women will break the fast with  first sip of water and the first bite of food are offered by the husband.

• After this all the family members will have dinner. But the Dinner should be made without onion and Garlic

 C

MY First Teej

Hello Friends

We all know that Teej is around the corner. This Year Teej is on 31st August,2011 ,i.e. day after Tomorrow and I am eagerly waiting for it. Because it is going to me by First Teej.

As a child, I enjoyed Teej festival very much and have lots of fond memories of it. My mom loved celebrating festivals, as it was more of a joyous social occasion for her. I really liked how she chose to celebrate these special occasions. After my mom I have seen my sisters doing this.

It is going to be my first Teej and I will be alone at Bangalore. No doubt my husband will be with me. But i will miss my family. So my sweet Hubby asked me to celebrate this with my sister who also lives in Bangalore.

Teej is a unique festival for women, which includes fasts and followed with delicious feasts next day. I have seen my mother and sisters dress up and decorate their palms with mehndi. I am well planned as how I am going to Celebrate my First Teej. Teej is day after Tomorrow and I ahve already taken a leave For Tomorrow so that I can Pamper tomorrow whole day.

In my next Post i will tell how I celebrated Teej and how we do this Puja. so that next Year I can recall Things required to do the Teej. and how the Puja is done.

Till then

Byeeeeeee