Bhubaneswar: Married women in Odisha flocked to various temples to observe Sabitri Puja, popularly known as ‘Sabitri Brata’, on Monday.
Married women observe this day by fasting and then offering prayers to Yama (god of death), Sabitri and Satyaban with great devotion and fervor for the long life of their husbands.
Legend goes that Sabitri’s husband Satyaban was destined to die within a year of his marriage. Yama appeared on the appointed day to take away Satyaban’s soul, but Sabitri pleaded with him to spare her husband’s life. Moved by Sabitri’s determination and devotion for her husband, Yama finally conceded and Satyban was brought back to life.
As per tradition, all Hindu women observe this festival in honor of Debi Sabitri. On this day, the women bathe early in the morning, wear new clothes, bangles, and apply vermilion on their foreheads and keep a fast. Then they offer puja with different fruits, wet pulses, rice, etc.
The women also seek the blessings of their husbands and elderly people in their families.
Meanwhile, fruit sellers are cashing in on the occasion by steeply increasing the prices of various fruits. Mangoes are available at Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kg, whereas bananas are priced at Rs 80 to Rs 100 per dozen. The prices of other fruits have also increased.
So while the ‘Sabitris’ keep in with tradition by offering various fruits for this puja, the poor ‘Satyabans’ are left ruing the pocket pinch.
