Shravan is one of important month of Chaturmas and which is consider auspicious in Hindu culture. Last Friday of this Hindu month i.e 21st August Shravan Amavasya will be observed. Amavasya period will start from 11:35 am and this Amavasya will be considered as Shani Amavasya. Let us have in dept knowledge of this day.
Shravan Amavasya 2025 is also known as Pithori Amavasya. According to tradition, Pola is a festival where bulls are worshipped. Following the Pithori Vrat in, mothers prepare food, carry it on their head, and ask, "Who is the guest?" Their children then call out their names and receive the food. This puja, performed on Pithori Amavasya, aims to ensure the family's growth and is thus considered Mother's Day.
Pithori Vrat: Pithori Amavasya is observed to ensure the longevity of children. The ritual involves installing eight kalash in the evening after a bath. Steel glass representing Brahmi, Maheshwari, and other deities are placed on the kalash for worship. Sixty-four yoginis are invoked on a bed of rice, and pitha idols are created and offered, which gives the fast its name, Pithori Vrat.
Pithori Amavasya Naivedya: Valach Birad, Matha Bhaji (Amaranthus), Rice kheer, , Satori, and bhaji are prepared as offerings. It is believed that observing this fast in this manner brings eternal good fortune and ensures a long life for one's sons.Pola celebrates the shift from a sage-based society to an agricultural one in our village-centric, agrarian nation. Farmers express gratitude for their bulls, essential partners in their labor. These animals work tirelessly, and farmers show their appreciation by lovingly tending to them in the evening. This bond between farmer and bull is deeply emotional, with the farmer often regretting any harsh treatment throughout the year and offering the bull rest on this special day.
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Shravan Amavasya is a day to express gratitude to bulls for their labor. They are given a holiday and celebrated. Early in the morning, they are washed and decorated with colored handprints, balloons, ribbons, bells, bead garlands, and colorful cloth and ornaments. They are then worshipped with incense and lamps, offered milk and water, and given prasad of Puranpolya, along with various treats like millet-ghugra, kadaba, fodder, and khichdi. The festival, called Bendur (Pola), includes bull races where strong bulls jump over a pyre to win a prize.
This spectacle is a highlight, and the winning bull's procession begins with fanfare. This act of worshipping useful beings as a reward for their kindness is central to Hindu culture and rituals. The festival is held on the full moon day or on the day of the native constellation. Despite a decline in bull populations due to mechanization, the tradition of worship continues.