Ahoi Ashtami 2024: Muhrat, Importance, Puja Vidhi, Aarti and More!
The tithi of the Kartik Krishna Paksha is important, especially for two festivals – Karwa Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami. On the 8th day of the Kartik Krishna Paksha, Ahoi Ashtami is observed. It is generally observed a week before Diwali. It is observed by women who have kids, for their safety and welfare. The Ahoi Ashtami 2024 would be observed on the October 24th.
Apart from that, childless women also observe this vrat for bearing a child. On this day, people seek the Ahoi form of Goddess Parvati for the protection, long life, good health, happiness, and prosperity of their children.
The date and Muhrat for Ahoi Ashtami 2024 are as follows.
Ahoi Ashtami 2024 Muhrat
Ahoi Ashtami on Thursday, October 24, 2024
Ahoi Ashtami Puja Muhurat – 05:54 PM to 07:09 PM
Duration – 01 Hour 15 Mins
Govardhana Radha Kunda Snan on Thursday, October 24, 2024
Sanjh (evening) time for sighting Stars – 06:17 PM
Krishna Dashami Moonrise on Ahoi Ashtami – 12:14 AM, Oct 25
Ashtami Tithi Begins – 01:18 AM on Oct 24, 2024
Ashtami Tithi Ends – 01:58 AM on Oct 25, 2024
What is the Significance of the Ahoi Ashtami Upvas?
This festival is celebrated by mothers for the health and well-being of their children. It is also known as Ahoi Mata. The Sanskrit words “Aho,” which means “day,” and “Ashtami,” which means “eighth day,” are the roots of the word “Ahoi Ashtami.” Thus, on the eighth day of the month of Kartik, Ahoi Ashtami is celebrated. Mothers observe a fast from sunrise to sunset on this auspicious day, hoping to grant their children longevity and wealth. The fast is broken only after seeing the stars in the evening and praying to Ahoi Mata.
The Upvas of Ahoi Ashtami occur after four days of Karva Chauth and eight days before Diwali Puja. Ahoi Ashtami is also known as Ahoi Anthe, as it occurs on the Ashtami Tithi.
Ahoi Mata is depicted as a motherly figure who listens to the prayers of women in distress and grants their wishes, making this day a powerful one for women praying for children or their children’s prosperity.
Another important aspect of this day is the pilgrimage to sacred places such as the Radha Kund in Vrindavan. Many couples who are yearning for a child take holy dips in the Radha Kund, believing that this ritual will help them conceive.
How to Perform Ahoi Ashtami Puja?
To perform the Ahoi Ashtami Puja 2024, do the following rituals:
- Get up early in the morning and take a bath.
- Draw the pictures of Devi Ahoi, Maa Parvati, Syahu, and her 7 sons at home. You can also get their images from the market.
- Take a utensil filled with water. Draw Haldi Swastik on it and place a chestnut on the top of the container.
- Practice meditation in the name of Devi Ahoi and read Ahoi Ashtami Upvas Katha along with other women at the house.
- After the Katha, gift clothes to those women.
- At night, offer the Arghya to the stars and break the fast.
How to Observe the Ahoi Ashtami Vrat?
To receive the fruits of the upvas, the woman should follow the rules correctly. On this day, Devi Ahoi is worshipped. It is believed that a woman who observes this fast, gets her child protected by Devi Ahoi herself. The rules for the Ahoi Ashtami Vrat are as follows:
- The vrat is observed without having the water.
- The Arghya should not be offered in the bronze utensil as it is considered impure.
- The Arghya is offered to the stars. In the same way, as Karva Chauth gets concluded by offering water to the Moon, this vrat gets concluded by offering water to the stars.
- In this upvas, the Karwa of Karva Chauth is used.
- The woman who is keeping this vrat should make sure that she does not do any cutting vrat with objects like knives and needles.
- One should not beat her children today as the upvas is observed for their safety only.
- No one in the family should consume non-vegetarian food on this day.
- The woman who is observing the vrat should avoid sleeping on the day, otherwise her vrat gets broken.
- She should not insult her elders as well.
- Mopping of the house floor should be avoided on this day as per texts.
What is the Story Behind Ahoi Ashtami?
Once upon a time, there was a moneylender. He had 7 sons and 7 daughters-in-law. He also had a daughter who often came to visit him on Diwali. Once, on Diwali, the daughter and the daughter-in-law of the moneylender went to the forest to bring to gather soil to cover the house. Syahu, a porcupine used to live with her 7 sons at the place where the daughter of the moneylender was cutting the soil. Due to her scabbard accidentally, a child of the porcupine died. Syahu got very angry and said that she would tie the womb of the moneylender’s daughter.
Scared, the moneylender’s daughter asked her sisters-in-law to get their womb tied instead. The youngest sister-in-law agrees. Afterwards, all her kids start to die after 7 days. She asks a pandits about the reason, he advises her to serve the Surhi cow.
Surhi cow is pleased with the service and takes her to the Syahu. On their way, they get tired and decide to rest for a bit. Suddenly, the moneylender’s daughter-in-law sees that a snake is about to bite the Garuda Pankhini’s child, so she kills the snake. Garuda Pankhini comes and sees the blood, she wrongly assumes the younger daughter-in-law to be the killer of her child and starts to beat her. When the latter tells her the truth, she happily takes her to the Syahu along with the Surhi. There, pleased by the care and services of the youngest daughter-in-law, Syahu blesses her with 7 sons and 7 daughters-in-law. The meaning of Ahoi is also “Anhoni ko Honi Banana” as the daughter of the moneylender did.
Ahoi Ashtami Aarti
The Ahoi Ashtami aarti is as follows:
Jai Ahoi Mata, Maiya Jaya Ahoi Mata.
Tumko Nisdin Dhyavat Har Vishnu Vidhata. Jaya Ahoi
Brahmani, Rudradhi Kamla Tu Hi Hai Jagmata
Surya- Chandrama Dhyavat Naarad Rishi Gata. Jai Ahoi Mata
Mata Roop Nirajan Sukh-Sampatti Dat
Jo Koi Tumko Dhyavat Nit Mangal Pata. Jaya Ahoi Mata
Tu Hi Pataal Basanti, Tu Hi Hai Shubhdata
Karma-Prabhav Prakashan Jagnidhi Se Trata. Jai Ahoi Mata
Jis Ghar Tumhro Vaasa, Taahi Ghar Gundh Aata
Kar Na Sake Soi Kar Le, Man Nahi Ghabrata. Jai Ahoi Mata
Tum Bin Sukh Na Hove Na Koi Putra Pata
Khan-pan Ka Vaibhav Tum Bin Nahi Aata. Jai Ahoi Mata
Subh Gudh Sundar Yukta, Sheer Nidhi Ki Jata
Ratan Chaturdash Tum Bin Koi Nahi Pata. Jai Ahoi Mata
Sri Ahoi Maa ki Aarti Jo Koi Gata
Ur Umang Ati Upje Paap Utar Jata. Jai Ahoi Mata
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is Ahoi Ashtami celebrated?
A: It is observed by women who have kids, for their safety and welfare.
Q: Can we use a knife in Ahoi Ashtami?
A: One should not use objects like knives on the day of Ahoi Ashtami.
Q: What not to do on Ahoi Ashtami?
A: The woman who is observing the vrat should avoid sleeping on the day, otherwise her vrat gets broken.
