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Hindu Religion / Festivals / Hoyee Ashtamee

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17 - Hoyee Ashtamee
[Kaartik Maas - 8th Day of Krishn Paksh]

 

This festival of Hoyee Ashtami is observed by the women who have a son. This day they keep the fast (without taking water) till the star appears in the sky.

Its story goes like this: There were a sister and her sister-in-law. Both used to go to forest to bring grass for their animals. Sister-in-law was very intelligent, but the sister was young. Syaaoo Mata used to live in that forest with her children. Her children used to play there. So whenever hate sister saw them, she used to kill them. Her sister-in-law told her not to do so, but she did not listen to her.

After some time she got married. She had seven sons,  but all died one by one soon after their birth. She was very sad but did not know what to do.

Hoyee came. Women kept fast the whole day, and in the evening cooked lots of tasty food for their children. One woman asked, "Sister, what happened, you don't celebrate this festival?" She said, "It is my bad luck, I had seven sons but all died one by one. Now for whom I should cook?"

The woman said, "Next year when Hoyee comes, you should keep fast, and when in the evening Syaaoo Mata comes out to bestow sons to women you should invite her in your house, and say that "you have lots of wax in your ear, let me take it out." When she comes home, and you take her ear wax out, you should put one baby in your lap and prick it time to time. The child will cry. Then Syaaoo Mata will ask you, "Dear Bahoo, Why this child is crying? What does it want? Give it whatever it wants." Then tell her that "it wants your ear ring". That is all. Good luck."

Next year when Hoyee came that woman kept fast, and in the evening when Syaaoo Mata came out to bestow sons on women, she invited her to her house and did the same as that woman told her to do.

When she said, "Mother, this child is asking for your ear ring." Then Syaaoo Mata told, "Bahoo, Child is more important or my ear ring?" After saying this she pulled out her ear ring from her ear and gave it to that woman. Lo, with the ear ring came out her all seven sons.

Now she forgot her guest Syaaoo Mata and got busy in cooking delicious food for her sons. God bless the other women too like this.

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on May 27, 2001
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Modified on 01/06/08