Bheemana Amavasya is a Hindu festival that is observed in South India, especially in Karnataka, as well as parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated on the new moon day (amavasya) of the Ashadha month of the Hindu calendar, which usually falls in July or August. The festival is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and is also known as Jyotirbheemeshwara Vrata, Sati Sanjivini Vrata, or Deepastambha Puja. The festival commemorates the legend of Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata epic, who worshipped Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on this day and obtained their blessings. The festival also honours the devotion and sacrifice of a young girl who married a dead prince and brought him back to life by performing the same ritual. The festival involves various rituals, ceremonies, pujas and festivities that take place throughout the day.
When is it conducted every year?
The Bheemana Amavasya festival is conducted every year on the new moon day (amavasya) of the Ashadha month of the Hindu calendar. The date varies according to the lunar cycle, but usually falls in July or August.
What is its significance?
The Bheemana Amavasya festival is a festival of great significance for the devotees of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The festival is based on two legends that illustrate the power and grace of the divine couple.
The first legend is about Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata epic, who was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. During their exile in the forest, Bhima came across a demon named Bakasura, who terrorized a nearby village by demanding a human sacrifice every day. Bhima decided to save the villagers by offering himself as a sacrifice to Bakasura. However, before going to face the demon, he performed a ritual on the new moon day (amavasya) of Ashadha month, by making clay idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and worshipping them with lamps, flowers and prayers. He also observed a fast and vowed to break it only after killing Bakasura. Impressed by his devotion and courage, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati appeared before him and blessed him with strength and victory. Bhima then fought with Bakasura and killed him with his mace. He then returned to the village and broke his fast by eating the food offered by the grateful villagers34
The second legend is about a young girl who was married to a dead prince by his wicked stepmother. The prince had died due to snakebite on his wedding day, but his stepmother wanted to usurp his kingdom by marrying him off to an unsuspecting girl. She chose a poor orphan girl who had no relatives or friends to protect her. She dressed up the corpse of the prince as a bridegroom and performed the wedding ceremony with the girl. She then left the girl alone with the corpse in a dark room and locked the door from outside. The girl was terrified and helpless, but she remembered that it was the new moon day (amavasya) of Ashadha month, which was auspicious for worshipping Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. She made clay idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati from the mud in the room and worshipped them with lamps made from cotton wicks dipped in ghee (clarified butter). She also observed a fast and prayed to them to save her from her plight. Pleased by her devotion and innocence, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati appeared before her and brought back the prince to life. They also revealed the truth about his stepmother’s evil plot and punished her accordingly. The prince and the girl then lived happily ever after as husband and wife
Based on these legends, the Bheemana Amavasya festival is considered to be very auspicious and beneficial for married and unmarried women. It is believed that if women perform the ritual on this day, they will be blessed by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati with a virtuous husband, long life, health, wealth, happiness and prosperity. They will also be protected from all evils and dangers. Sisters also perform the ritual for the well-being of their brothers
How is it celebrated?
The Bheemana Amavasya festival is celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm by the devotees of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The festival involves various rituals, ceremonies, pujas and festivities that take place throughout the day. Some of the highlights of the festival are:
- The preparation of clay idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, which are called Kalikamba or Jyotikamba. The idols are made from red mud clay, dried and decorated with ash and vermilion. They are also sometimes made of panchaloha (five metals – gold, silver, copper, bronze and zinc). The idols are placed on a wooden plank or a banana leaf and worshipped with lamps, flowers, incense, fruits, sweets and other offerings34
- The observance of a fast by women who perform the ritual. They abstain from eating any food or drinking any water from sunrise to sunset. They also avoid fried food, onion, garlic and salt. They break their fast only after offering their prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in the evening. They can eat fruits, milk products and vegetarian food after breaking their fast
- The performance of a puja by women who perform the ritual. They recite various mantras, hymns and prayers dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. They also listen to the stories of Bhima and Bakasura, and the young girl and the dead prince. They seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati for themselves, their husbands, brothers and other family members. They also tie a sacred thread or a turmeric root around their wrists as a symbol of protection and prosperity
- The preparation of special dishes such as kadubu (steamed rice dumplings), payasa (rice pudding), holige (sweet flatbread) and obbattu (sweet stuffed flatbread). These dishes have coins hidden in them as a sign of good luck and fortune. These dishes are offered to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati as naivedya (food offering) and then distributed among family members and friends as prasada (blessed food). The dishes are also smashed by brothers or young boys at the end of the puja to find the coins hidden in them
- The participation in various cultural programmes such as music concerts, dance performances, drama shows, discourses, exhibitions and fairs that take place during the festival. The festival also provides an opportunity for devotees to visit other sacred places in Karnataka such as Gokarna, Kollur, Udupi, Dharmasthala, Sringeri, Horanadu and Subramanya
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