Vat Purnima

Vat Purnima, also known as Vat Savitri Vrat, is a traditional Hindu festival celebrated by married women in Western and parts of Southern India. It is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha. The festival is a celebration of marital fidelity, love, and the devotion of a wife towards her husband. It is inspired by the legendary story of Savitri, whose unwavering devotion and cleverness saved her husband, Satyavan, from the clutches of Yama, the god of death.

According to the Mahabharata, the noble princess Savitri chose to marry Satyavan, a humble woodcutter, despite being warned by the sage Narada that he was destined to die in one year. When the fateful day arrived, Savitri followed Satyavan into the forest. As he fell, Yama appeared to claim his soul. Unwilling to give up, Savitri followed Yama, engaging him in a respectful and intelligent dialogue. Impressed by her wisdom and devotion, Yama granted her several boons, and she cleverly used them to trick him into returning Satyavan's life. The banyan tree ('Vat' vriksha) is central to this story, as it was under a banyan tree that Satyavan died and was brought back to life.