Ashok Sharma
Fasting is an integral part of our cultural ethos and it is considered auspicious to keep a fast on Full moon Day, New Moon Day and other such occasions. Some people fast on different days of the week to propitiate the God who is considered dominant on that particular day. For instance, devotees fast on Monday to propitiate Lord Shiva and on Monday propitiate Goddess Durga and Lord Hanumana. Besides,married women keep fast on Karvachauth every year for the well being and long life of their husband and observe fast on Bash Dua for the prosperity and long life of their sons. In other words, keeping fast is an important aspect of Hindu religion.Among various fasts observed by the Hindu women,the fast observed on the eve of Sankat Chauth of Magh (Bhugga Vrat) is one of the most important fasts that Dogra women observe for the well being and longevity of their children and for keeping away the evil impact of stars on them.It is also known by other names such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Tilkut Chauth etc.
This fast is observed on the fourth day of waning moon in the month of Magh to please and obtain the blessings of Lord Ganesha who is considered as remover of various obstacles in our way. This year it falls on 31st January on Sunday. There are many legends associated with this fast. According to one legend, there were two male siblings.One of the brothers was rich and the other poor.Their wives_the Jethani and the Devrani used to observe fast on Sankat Chouth.But the jethani (the wife of the elder one) didnot treat her beautiful devrani well and used to give her left over food even when the latter did most of the household work.One day, the elder sister in law deliberately delayed serving the dinner at night to her devrani and her children with the result that all of them slept on an empty stomach. However, the Devrani prepared a tilkuta, performed prayers, took a glass of water before sleeping.
At midnight Lord Ganesha visited her in the guise of a Brahmin and asked for food. But the lady told the God that there was nothing in the home. However, there was a tilkuta which he could take.The Brahmin took the tilkuta and asked her for water so that he could wipe his mouth with.The woman was irritated and said “Wipe it with my head”.But when she woke up in the morning,to her surprise she saw that her house was full of food and her head decorated with jewels and pearls.When the Jethani came to know about this, she too tried to please God but instead of food, jewels and pearls, her house was filled with foul smell.She felt repentent for her behaviour & prayed to God to pardon her.The God forgave her and both the families lived happily for a long time.According to another story, there lived a Brahmin couple in the regime of Raja Harish Chandera. The woman used to keep a fast and they were blessed with a son.But after some days, the Brahmin died but the woman kept on observing this fast and looking after the child .Time passed and one day the child was kidnapped by a potter who was told that if he sacrificed a child, his pots would bake properly.He threw the child into the hot kiln but next morning the child was found playing and the pots were not baked as the kiln was full of water. The potter confessed his crime and the child was restored to the wailing mother. Yet according to another tale, there lived a money lender and his wife. They had no child. There lived a Brahmin couple in the neighbourhood. One day the money lender’s wife went to her neighbour’s house, The Brahmin’s wife had kept a fast of Sankat Chauth on that day.She told the Sahukarni that if the latter kept a fast with devotion on the said day, she may be blessed with a child. The Sahukarni started keeping the fast and said that she would offer til ladoos to Lord Ganesha if she was blessed with a child. In due course of time, she was blessed with a child and she kept on observing this fast throughout her life and her son prospered well. Some people also believe that it was Yudhistera who first kept this fast and since then women have been keeping this fast.
Whatever be the story behind this fast, it is a fact that this is an important festival of Dogras and the fast is kept by the women for the well being of their children on this day. There is another reason for observing this day. This fast is also related to the change of weather.It is thought that this day marks the decrease in intensity of biting cold weather and farmers offer Ladoos of til and jaggery as a token of gratitude to Lord Ganesha for bumper harvest of sesame and jaggery.On this day, women begin their day by taking bath early in the morning and clean the house properly.
They keep the fast for the whole day without taking water and food.They worship Lord Ganesha by bathing Lord Ganesha’s idol with Panchamrit consisting of milk, curd, water, ghee and honey. After it, things such as fruits, red coloured flower are offered to Lord Ganesha. As the moon rises at night, fasting women offer ‘argh’ to the Moon God and reserve some Bhugga in the name of their children.Radish and sugarcane are also offered at the time of Puja. Some of the Bhugga is distributed to the relatives, friends, neighbours, girls and Purohits. After this the fasting women open their fast On this day, it is advisable to chant Om Shri Ganeshaya Namaha 108 times to obtain the blessings of Lord Ganesha. This fast is very tough to keep and requires a lot of resilience and patience.Fasting women remain without water and food throughout the day. During the day, however they are so busy in their household work and preparing Bhugga by roasting and grinding til, alsi, jaggery etc that the day passes as usual.These days Bhugga is also available in sweet shops where halwais (confectioners) prepare Bhugga from white coloured sesame seeds mixed with Khoya. But making Bhugga at home is considered auspicious. This fast is believed to have great religious significance.It brings the fasting woman and her family all sorts of happiness and prosperity.Our younger generation is losing charm for our culture and traditional festivals. So it is advisable that parents should tell their children about stories and legends behind the important festivals and fasts such as Bhugga Vrat.
(The writer is serving as Lecturer in English, Govt.HSS, Thial (Udhampur)
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