The Bat Savitri Festival is basicall a Vrat (fasting eveng) in which married women observe fast from the morning. They offer their prayers to Savitri Devi, the legendary heroine and Bat or Banyan tree and pray for the welfare of their husbands.
Women observe fast in honour of Savitri and Satyavan and remember how Savitri through her intense devotion saved her husband from the claws of death.
When is Vat (Bat) Savitiri Celebrated?
This festival is celebrated on the Krishna amavasya (last day of the dark half of the month) of Jyestha and on the day married women worship Savitri and the Bat or banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) and pray for the well being of their spouses. Generally its date comes in June month.
Legend of Savitri
They remember the passion of Savitri, a woman who fought against Death, the divorcer of souls and eventually emerged successful. Her will power forced Yama, the Lord of death to grant life to her husband Satyavan. All women aspire to be as loyal and intensely devoted to their husbands as Savitri. They seek her blessings so that they may follow her footsteps and be as virtuous as she was. They recite the story of Savitri Satyaban.
How is Bat Savitir is Celebrated (Customs and rituals)?
All Hindu women observe this festival by worshiping and propitiating Savitri as a Devi. In the early morning, women take purifying baths, wear new clothes and bangles, and apply vermilion to their foreheads. Nine types of fruits and nine types of flowers are offered to the Goddess. Wet pulses, rice, mangoes, jack fruits, palm fruits, kendu, bananas and several other fruits are offered as Bhoga (offering) and observe the festival with Savitri brata katha. After fasting for the whole day, the fasting is over and the women have the Bhoga. In the afternoon, when formalities of worship are over, they bow to their husbands and elderly people.