Ahmedabad: Dashama Vrat, a deeply revered ten-day observance dedicated to Goddess Dashama (also known as Ashapura Maa or Momai Maa), will begin tomorrow, July 24, and conclude with the final ritual, Purnahuti, on August 2. This annual festival is marked by various rituals and prayers aimed at seeking the goddess’s blessings for happiness, prosperity, and good fortune.

Significance of Dashama Vrat
Goddess Dashama, typically depicted riding a camel and holding four objects in her hands, symbolizes divine feminine strength and protection. Also known as Dashama Na Naurta or Navaratri, this Vrat is believed to help remove astrological obstacles and bless devotees with wealth, good health, and peace in their lives.

Key rituals and practices
On Ashadh Amavasya, devotees—especially married women—bring home a clay idol (Sandhani) of Goddess Dashama, often placed alongside Lord Ganesha. Observers of the Vrat follow a ten-day partial fast, usually eating only wheat-based food and limiting themselves to a single meal daily. They also wear a red thread with ten knots (Kautuka) on their right wrist, perform daily puja, read the Dashama Katha, and distribute Prasad.

Throughout the ten days, devotees engage in prayers, bhajans, and scriptural readings. Many wake up early to bathe, light incense, and offer devotion to the goddess. Some practice stricter fasting by consuming only fruits and milk, while others observe a complete fast without food or water.

The Vrat concludes with Jagaran on the final night, followed by the immersion of the goddess’s idol in a river—symbolizing her return to the divine realm. Traditionally, those observing Dashama Vrat continue this practice for five years, ending with the donation of a silver Sandhani to a Brahmin.

The story behind Dashama Vrat
According to legend, King Vijay Singh of Gujarat’s Jal Mahal palace initially forbade his wife, Queen Roopmati, from worshipping Dashama, believing the goddess was meant only for the poor. Offended, Goddess Dashama brought misfortune upon the king: fruits in his orchards withered, sweets turned to stone, and he was eventually captured and imprisoned by a rival king. Realizing his mistake, King Vijay Singh observed Dashama Vrat with devotion, which ultimately restored his freedom and prosperity.

In times of uncertainty and hardship, rituals like Dashama Vrat offer hope, peace, and renewed strength. May this year’s observance bring joy and blessings to all devotees.