Vat Purnima or Vat Savitri Amavasya is an important tradition observed by married women in North India for the well-being of their husbands. It falls on Purnima or full moon in the month of Jyeshtha as per the Hindu calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, Vat Savitri 2019 will be observed on June 3. Married women observe the day for prosperity, happiness and long life of their husbands. They fast on the day and tie a ceremonial thread around a banyan tree. The observance draws reference from a popular legend of Savitri and Satyavan as narrated in the epic Mahabharata. The Vrat Katha is widely explained and discussed among women who follow the rituals to mark the day. Shubh Muhurat, Puja Vidhi And Vrat Katha For Apara Ekadashi. 

Women in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana, follow the Purnimanta calendar and hence they celebrate Vat Savitri Amavasya 15 days before. While, Vat Purnima will take place 15 days later in Maharashtra and other western states.

Katha of Savitri and Satyavan

According to Vat Purnima Vrat Katha mentioned in Mahabharata, Savitri was the daughter of King Ashwapati of Madra kingdom. The legend says that Savitra went out on a pilgrimage to find herself a husband. She met Satyavan, the son of the blind King Dyumatsena of Salwa kingdom who lived in exile, and chose him as her husband. She later finds out that Satyavan will die after a year, but that doesn't change her from the decision to marry him. Thereafter, she lives an ascetic life in the forest with her husband and his parents.

Three days before the predicted death of Satyavan, Savitri decides to go on a fast. On the morning of his predicted death, he lays his head in Savitri's lap and dies. She then places his body under the Banyan tree where Yama, the God of Death comes to claim Satyavan's soul. Savitri follows him as he carries her husband's soul away. She urges Yama for the life of her husband and eventually impressed by her dedicated, the God of death gives life back to Satyavan.  The fast which Savitri observed for three days came to be known as Vat Savitri Purnima.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2019 09:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).