Neel Shashthi 2024: Neel Shashthi is celebrated on the day before the Chaitra Sankranti, at the very end of the Bengali year. Many also refer to it as 'Neel Pujo'. On this day, mothers worship Goddess Shashthi to wish for the well-being of their children, and also keep a fast and offer special prayers to Lord Shiva. There are specific rituals involved in this Shiva worship.
Every festival has its own tale, and here is everything you want want to know about Neel Shashthi.
The Story Of Neel Pujo
The Neel Shashthi story goes somewhat like this: Long ago, there lived a Brahmin couple in a village. They were devout worshippers but were not aware of the Neel pujo. They had several children, but none lived long. The repeated loss of their children broke the couple's spirit, and they felt all the joys of life were meaningless. In their sorrow, they moved to Varanasi and one day, while mourning on the banks of the Ganga river after a dip, an extraordinary event occurred.
An old woman approached the couple and asked why they were crying. Through tears, the wife told the woman about the deaths of their children. This old woman was Goddess Shashthi in disguise. She enquired whether they observed the Neel Shashthi puja. Surprised, the wife asked what that was. The old woman then explained that during the entire month of Chaitra, one must live ascetically, and on the day before Sankranti, they must worship Goddess Shashthi and Lord Shiva, break their fast with vegetarian food and sweetened lemon water. This pleases Lord Shiva, who then blesses their children.
After telling them this, Goddess Shashthi disappeared. The couple then not only observed the vow themselves but also spread the story among their neighbors. After that, they were blessed with children again.
Nil Sasthi is being observed on Friday, April 12. According to the Bengali calendar, it's the 29th of Chaitra, 1429. The puja will take place during evening hours.
This report first appeared in Bengali on ABP Ananda, and has been translated.