00:00 As a young girl embarking on a journey from the Bengal's serene embrace to Delhi's
00:11 chaos, blending spices and Rabindranath Tagore's sangeet coming from a different state, I planted
00:18 a seed of curiosity in my mind about the culture, beliefs and religion of the people of Uttar
00:24 Pradesh.
00:25 The most awaited Ahoi Ashtami is a core Hindu festival celebrated mainly in North India
00:31 by Hindu women.
00:33 According to Uday Tithi, Ahoi Ashtami will be celebrated on Sunday, November 5 at 12.59
00:40 am and end on November 6 at 3.18 am.
00:44 Ahoi Ashtami holds a very religious significance in the Hindu festival.
00:50 Ahoi Ashtami or Ahoi Tithi is also called Krishna Paksha and it takes place in the month
00:56 of Kartik, 8 days before Diwali and 4 days after Karva Chauth.
01:01 This day has a long history.
01:04 It is said that on this fine day, a moneylender's wife decided to fetch some soil from the nearby
01:09 forest to redecorate or renovate her house for the upcoming Diwali festival.
01:14 While digging soil in the forest, she accidentally kills a lion cub with the spade in the month
01:21 of Kartik.
01:22 Being a mother of seven sons, she was cursed by the animal that all her sons would die
01:27 within an year and soon it all ended.
01:31 The tormented parents decided to go on a pilgrimage and walk until they fell unconscious.
01:37 Seeing this, God felt heartbroken and performed an Akashvani that commanded the couple to
01:43 return home and to divinely worship the holy cow, Goddess Ahoi, as she knows and Goddess
01:50 Lakshmi.
01:52 The Goddess Ahoi is believed to be the protector of the offspring of living beings.
01:58 After being pleased with their devotion and sincerity, the couple was blessed with the
02:02 boon of fertility.
02:05 On this auspicious occasion, all the Hindu mothers perform fasting or vrat.
02:10 They wake up early in the morning, take a holy bath, wear clean clothes, clean the house
02:15 and fast for the entire day without food or water.
02:19 In the evening, all the Hindu mothers are dressed up like a divine angel preparing food
02:25 for the deity, performing prayers and singing vrat katha.
02:30 Krishna Ashtami is a day for women without children to fast and perform Ahoi Ashtami
02:35 rituals, including bathing in Radha Kund in Uttar Pradesh before sunrise and worshipping
02:40 Goddess Kushmanda and Lord Krishna.
02:43 Halwa is considered to be the main prasad of Ahoi Ashtami.
02:48 This day is celebrated to strengthen the bond between a mother and a child.
02:54 Mothers pray for their children's well-being.
02:57 And I wish may their children achieve success for all their hard work and all their dreams
03:02 come true and they lead a healthy and happy life.
03:11 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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