Vat Poornima celebrated at Ponda
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MARCEL, JUNE 25
Hundreds of women across Ponda taluka on Friday celebrated Vat Poornima praying a long life for their husbands.
The festival, Vat Poornma, is celebrated annually on the full moon day of the Hindu month Jyestha. Vat means banyan tree in Marathi language and Poornima means a full moon.
On this day, Hindu married women worship the banyan tree, where a priest performs special pooja.
On this day, women also observe fast. The women then move around the banyan tree, unwinding a spool of white thread in their hands, as the priest chants mantras.
“This is my first pooja. I am doing it for my husband’s longevity. We are following our tradition and this will bring happiness to my family,” said newly wed Siddhi Kundaikar.
Says Laxmibai Kurtarkar: “This tradition also has a scientific reason. On this day, we observe fast and it is good for our health. The banyan trees also produce oxygen and performing poojas is to show our respect to the tree.”
