Ahoi Ashtami

About

Ahoi Ashtami is a fast kept by mothers for the long life, health and happiness of their children. It falls on Krishna paksha Ashtami, the eighth day of the dark half, in the month of Kartika in the Purnimanta calendar. In the Amanta calendar followed in Gujarat, Maharashtra and the South, the same day is Ashwin Krishna Ashtami. It is the same day; only the month name differs.

It comes about four days after Karwa Chauth and about a week before Diwali. It is mainly observed in North India.

Significance and stories

Ahoi is the name of the Goddess who protects children, and the vrat is a mother's prayer for their safety. Traditionally the fast was kept for sons; many families now keep it for all of their children, and this is widely accepted.

The usual story tells of a woman who accidentally harmed a young animal (a cub of a hedgehog or syahu in many tellings) while digging clay. Afterwards her children suffered a series of misfortunes. On the advice of elders, she made an image of Ahoi Mata and fasted with sincere repentance, and her children were restored. Versions differ by region.

The vrat teaches care for all living beings and the strength of a mother's prayer. It carries no threat; it is simply an act of love.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Rise early, bathe and take a vow to keep the fast until the stars are seen.
2. Draw or place an image of Ahoi Mata on a wall or paper, with eight corners (ashta koshthak), a hedgehog (syahu) and cubs. Printed calendars and posters are equally accepted.
3. In the evening, set up a clean puja area. Place a kalash of water with a swastika and some sweets before the image.
4. Offer flowers, a lamp, incense and rice, then read the Ahoi Mata katha (story). Ask an elder to guide you through the version your family follows.
5. Some families fill a small pot of water and place a silver coin or beads on a thread (Ahoi locket), which is worn until Diwali.
6. When the first stars appear, offer water (arghya) to the stars. Some families wait for the moon; traditions vary.
7. Break the fast with water and a light meal, shared with the children.

Puja items (samagri)

• An image of Ahoi Mata and her cubs
• A kalash, water, a swastika drawn in kumkum
• Rice, flowers, lamp, incense, roli (kumkum), turmeric
• Sweets, puri, halwa, fruits
• A silver Ahoi locket or a string with beads, in some families

Fasting and food

The traditional fast is without grains and often without water until the stars appear. Some women keep a lighter fast with fruit, milk or water. After the arghya, a simple meal is eaten, often including puri, halwa and sweets.

People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast. Drink water if you feel unwell; no tradition requires you to risk your health.

Regional customs

Ahoi Ashtami is widely kept in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Some families draw the image with colours on a wall, while others use a printed picture. In some places, the vrat is also tied to the Radha Kund at Govardhan, where couples bathe in the night of Ahoi Ashtami and seek children. The customs for breaking the fast, whether at the stars or the moon, vary by region. Traditions vary; follow your family's custom or your priest's guidance.

Celebrating in the USA

Stars are hard to see in cities and may be hidden by cloud. The site shows the time when stars usually become visible in your city, and most families offer the arghya at that time. If the sky is cloudy, observe the time and offer the water facing the sky.

Because Ahoi Ashtami often falls on a weekday, many mothers keep the fast lightly and do the puja in the evening after work. Indian grocery stores sell Ahoi Mata posters and puja kits, and community women's groups often hold a shared evening puja. Wear the silver locket or bead string until Diwali if your family does so, and keep the image in a clean, safe place. Check with a grocery or temple if you cannot find a printed image.