Ahoi Ashtami 2023 Vrat Date and Significance – Ahoi Asthami Vrat Katha

Ahoi Ashtami (Hindi: अहोई अष्टमी) is Hindu festival that is mainly observed by mothers for the well being of their children. It is observed on the ashtami titthi (8th day) of the Krishna Paksha (the dark fortnight of moon) during the month of Kartik in Hindu calendar. In the Amanta calendar as followed in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and some southern states, it is celebrated during the Hindu month of Ashwin. It corresponds to the months of mid October to November in the English calendar. Ahoi Ashtami is observed 8 days before the Diwali festivities and four days after the festival of Karwa Chauth.

Ahoi Ashtami 2023 is on November 05, Sunday

• Asthami tithi timings: November 05, 1:00 am – November 06, 3:18 am
• Ahoi Ashtami Puja Muhurat : November 05, 05:42 PM – 07:00 PM

Just like Karwa Chauth the celebrations of Ahoi Ashtami is very widespread in the whole of Northern India. This day is devoted to worshiping Goddess Ahoi or Ahoi Mata. Ahoy ashtami vrat is observed only by Mothers, as the vrat is kept for the long life and well being of their children and also to be blessed with more children.

Rituals during Ahoi Ashtami:

1. On Ahoi Ashtami, the mother of the boy observes a strict fast all through the day for their child’s well-being. They spend the day without even drinking a drop of water. The fast is broken after sighting the stars, during dusk. In some places, the observer of the Ahoi Ashtami fast breaks their fast after sighting the moon, although it might be difficult as the moon rises late on the Ahoi Ashtami night.
2. Ladies get up early and take a bath. Following this they take a ‘sankalp’ that is a pledge to keep the fast for the whole day for their children’s well-being. The preparations for the puja are done before sunset.
3. Women draw the image of Ahoi Mother on a wall. The image drawn should have ‘Ashtha Kosthak’ or eight corners. Along with other images, the picture of ‘Sei’ (hedgehog with its children) is drawn close to Goddess Ahoi. If the image cannot be drawn then the wallpaper of Ahoy Ashtami can also be used. The image also depicts the seven sons with the daughter-in-laws as mentioned in the Ahoi Ashtami Katha.
4. The place of worship is cleaned and an ‘Alpana’ is drawn. An earthen pot known as ‘karwa’ is filled with water and covered with a lid and kept near the place of worship. The nozzle of this karwa is blocked with a special grass known as ‘Sarai Seenka’. This shoot of grass is also offered to Ahio Mata during the puja rituals.
5. The actual puja of Ahoi Ashtami is performed during evening time, that is, just after sunset. All the women in the family come together for the puja. After the rituals the women listened to the Ahoi Mata vrat katha. In some communities the devotees use Ahoi made of silver. This silver form is known as ‘Syau’ and is worshiped with milk, roli and akshata during the puja. After the puja, this ‘Syau’ is woven in a thread with two silver pearls and worn by women around their neck.
6. Special food offerings are prepared that includes Puri, Halwa and Pua. 8 of all these are offered to the Devi and then given to some elderly lady or even a Brahmin. The puja is terminated by performing the ‘Ahoi Mata aarti’ at the end.

Important Timings On Ahoi Ashtami 2023

Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Vidhi

Ashtami fasting is done about 8 days before Diwali on Krishna Paksha Ashtami. According to Purnimant calendar followed in Northern India it falls during the month of Kartik and according to Amanta calendar followed in Gujarat, Maharashtra and other southern states it falls during the month of Ashwin. However it is only name of the month which varies and the fasting of Ahoi Ashtami is done on the same day.

The fasting and Puja on Ahoi Ashtami is dedicated to Mother Ahoi or Goddess Ahoi. She is revered by women for the well-being and long life of their children. This day is also known as Ahoi Aathe because fasting for Ahoni Ashtami is done during Ashtami Tithi which is the eighth day of the lunar month.

On Ahoi Ashtami mothers hold a fast from dawn to twilight for the well-being of their sons. Fast is broken during dusk after sighting stars in the sky. In some regions women break the fast after seeing the moon but it might be difficult to follow as the moon rises late in the night on the day of Ahoi Ashtami.

We are providing simple Pooja Vidhi which is traditionally followed by women folks in India during the day of Ahoi Ashtami –

Sankalp

On the day of fasting, after taking morning bath women should take the vow, which is called Sankalp, to keep the fast for the well-being of their children. It is also recited during Sankalp that the fasting would be without any food or the water and the fast would be broken after seeing the stars or the moon according to their family tradition.

Pooja Preparation

During evening i.e. Before sunset, puja preparations should be done. Women should draw the image of goddess Ahoi on the wall. Any image of Ahoi Mata used for the Puja should have Ashtha Koshthak i.e. Eight corners due to the festival being associated with Ashtami Tithi. Along with Goddess Ahoi the images of Sei (i.e. hedgehog and its children) should also be drawn close to the Goddess. Sei is a spiny mammalian from the legend of Ahoi Ashtami. If drawing image on the wall is not feasible then large Wallpaper of Ahoi Ashtami Puja can also be used. Most Puja calendars also depict seven sons and daughters-in-laws from the legend of Ahoi Ashtami.

After that the place of worship is sanitized with holy water and Alpana is drawn. After spreading wheat on the floor or on the wooden stool, one water-filled Kalasha should be kept at the place of worship. The mouth of the Kalash should be covered with an earthly lid.

A small earthen pot preferably Karva is kept on the top of the Kalash. Karwa is filled with the water and covered with its lid. The nozzle of the Karwa is clogged with the shoots of the grass. The commonly used shoot is known as Sarai Seenka which is a type of willow. The seven shoots of the grass are also offered to Ahoi Mata and Sei during Puja. The shoot of Sarai is sold during the festival particularly in the small towns of India. If shoots of the grass are not available then cotton buds can be used.

The food items which are used in Puja includes 8 Puri, 8 Pua and Halwa. These food items are given to some elderly woman in the family or the Brahmin after adding some money.

Ahoy Mata Puja

The best time to perform Pooja is during Sandhya time just after sunset. During Pooja Ahoi Mata is worshiped with all rituals.

Normally women perform Ahoi Ashtami Puja along with the other female members of the family. During puja women narrate the story of Ahoi Mata. There are several versions of Ahoi Ashtami legend but most of them describe how female devotee of Ahoi Mata got blessed by seven sons even after getting cursed for accidentally killing the descendants of Sei. Sei is also worshiped along with Ahoi Mother and seven grass shoots along with Halwa is offered to Sei.

In some communities, for the occasion of Ahoi Ashtami, Ahoi of gold is also made. Silver Ahoi is known as Syau (SYAU) and worshiped with Akshata, Roli and the milk during the Puja. Later it is worn in the neck as a necklace with the help of a thread along with two silver pearls.

Aarti of Ahoi Ashtami is performed at the end of the puja.

Stars or Moon worship

Women either give Argha to the stars or the moon depending upon the family tradition before breaking the fast. The time when the stars get visible in the sky and the time of moonlight rise on Ahoi Ashtami can be checked at Ahoi Ashtami Puja Timings.

Both Karwa and Kalash are used for giving Argha to the stars or the moon after the puja. The water of Big Kalash is used during the morning bath of Roop Chaudas which is also known as Narak Chaturdashi.

Association with Krishnashtami

Women who have difficulties in conceiving, have miscarriage or don’t have a boy child also perform Pooja on the day of Ahoi Ashtami.

In this context, the day of Ahoy Ashtami is known as Krishnashtami. This day is very important for those couples who don’t have any children. On the same day, couples take a dip in the Radha Kunda at Mathura, perform Puja and make offering of the Kushmanda. Devotees from far-flung places throng to Radha Kunda to take a holy dip in the holy pond during Arunodaya i.e. Just before the sunrise.

Ahoi Ashtami festival dates between 2020 & 2030