Batsabitri festival is being celebrated
Simara: Wishing for long life and good health of their husbands, women have celebrated Batsabitri festival in Bara along with Mithilanchal today. In the nature-worshipping Mithila civilization, there is a tradition of special worship of the (Bar) tree on the day of Jestha Aushi. Crowds of married women gather under the Bar tree from early morning to perform Batsabitri Puja.
This festival, which is celebrated every year on the day of Jestha Aunsi, is of special importance for newly married couples. Bar tree is connected with the life of Satisabitri and worshiped under the bar tree for the longevity of the husband, this festival is also called Batsabitri festival, Barsait festival.
On the occasion of this festival, married women take a bath and put on new clothes and offer mango, lychee, apple, banana, sweets and compulsorily take a new bamboo fan and sit under the Bar tree. Rice bran and milk are also offered for Nag-nagin.
If the Bar tree is not near or if it is not possible to go outside to worship, the Bar tree can be planted at home and worship can done. It is mentioned in religious books that Sabitri worshiped in this way for the revival of her dead husband Satyawan.
Nirmala Devi (has come to worship), informed that the Batsabitri festival, which was organized by only a few castes like Brahmins and Kayasthas, has now been celebrated by women of almost all castes. Although some traditional festivals are disappearing with the advent of modernity, the attraction towards this festival is still increasing.
