Ahoi Ashtami festival is widely celebrated across India. Women keep the fast on this day for the well-being of their children. According to the Hindu calendar, this festival falls on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month and in the month of October or November, according to the Gregorian calendar. Ahoi Ashtami 2023 date is 5 November, Sunday.

Check the Ahoi Ashtami 2023 date and time, muhurat, significance, history, celebrations, rituals, traditions, and Vidhi.

When is Ahoi Ashtami in 2023?

Here are the details for the Ahoi Ashtami 2023 date and Shubh Muhurat:

  • Title: Ahoi Ashtami 2023
  • Date: 5 November 2023
  • Puja Muhurat: 06:00 PM to 07:13 PM
  • Stars Gazing Time: 05:58 PM
  • Holiday type: Optional

About Ahoi Ashtami 2023

Ahoi Ashtami is a festival women celebrate for their children’s health and safety. Women follow strict fasting with all the rituals and prayers. Women break their fast by sightseeing stars at night. According to the Hindu calendar, this festival falls on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha of Kartik month. Women pray to the Ahoi Ashtami Mata on this day along with Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Ahoi Ashtami is celebrated 8 days before the festival of lights – Diwali.

Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha

Ahoi Ashtami 2023

Ahoi Ashtami 2023

In a village, a woman had seven sons and in the month of Kartik (according to the Hindu calendar) she went to the forest to bring some things for the renovation of her home. Nearby a den, she started digging soil with an axe. Unfortunately, the woman’s axe fell on the cub in the den and the cub died. The woman felt guilty and sympathetic.

After some days, her sons started dying one by one and within a year, all seven sons died. She became depressed, and some old ladies in her village started consoling her. She narrated to them the whole scenario of the death of the cub and that the entire circumstance was unintentional.

The ladies appreciated her for confessing and told her that by confessing the sin she had already compensated for half of the sin. They suggested that if she prayed to the goddess Ashtami Bhagwati her sin would be cast off. The woman kept fast on the Kartik Krishna Ashtami and then onwards she started praying and fasting regularly. After some time, she got back all her seven sons.

You May Also Like: Chhath Puja

Ahoi Ashtami 2023 Significance and Importance

Ahoi Ashtami festival is observed by mothers for their children’s healthy life and well-being. Women observe a fast and worship the Goddess Ahoi with all the rituals. It is believed that women who have problems conceiving a child or face miscarriage should perform the Ahoi Ashtami Puja Vidhi to get a healthy child. After fasting for the whole day, there is a tradition of breaking the fast after gazing at the stars. The time for sighting the stars can be seen in the Ahoi Ashtami calendar according to the Hindu Panchang.

Ahoi Ashtami 2023 Vidhi and Rituals

Ahoi Ashtami Puja is fruitful only when it is performed with all the rituals. Here are the rituals to perform Ahoi Ashtami Puja:

1. Sankalp: On the day of the Ahoi Ahstami festival, women should take the Sankalp (pledge) to keep the fast for the long life of their children.
2. Ahoi Ashtami Puja: Ahoi Mata is worshipped during the Ahoi Ashtami Puja. Women perform the puja in the evening by narrating the Ahoi Ashtami Vrat Katha and greet each other by saying Happy Ahoi Ashtami. The Puja is performed using a silver Syau and worshipped with roli, rice, and milk during the Puja. Later the Syau is worn on the neck as a pendant. During the puja, Ahoi Ashtami Aarti is also performed.
3. Ahoi Ashtami Upaaye: During the Ahoi Ashtami Puja, you should offer red and white flowers to the Goddess. Other offerings include halwa, sandalwood, and pua. People also light a diya under the peepal tree in the evening.
4. Worshipping of Stars: In the evening of Ahoi Ashtami, women give Arghya to the stars after performing the puja and narrating the Ahoi Ashtami Katha. Devotees use the Kalash to give Arghya to the stars and then break their fast with the Prasad for the Goddess.
5. Association with Krishnashtmi: Ahoi Ashtami is also known as Krishnashtami, as it falls on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar. This day is considered to be very auspicious for people who are facing difficulties in conceiving a child. Devotees take a holy dip in the ‘Radha Kunda’, a sacred pond in Mathura.

Other Festivals in India with Holiday Type

Festivals in India Day Date Holiday Type
New Year Sunday 1 January Public
Lohri Saturday 14 January Restricted
Makar Sankranti Saturday 14 January Restricted
Pongal Sunday 15 January Restricted
Basant Panchmi Thursday 26 January Restricted
Republic Day Thursday 26 January Public
Guru Ravidass Jayanti Sunday 5 February Restricted
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti Wednesday 15 February Restricted
Mahashivratri Saturday 18 February Restricted
Losar Tuesday 21 February Restricted
Holi Wednesday 8 March Public
Ram Navami Thursday 30 March Restricted
Mahavir Jayanti Tuesday 4 April Restricted
Good Friday Friday 7 April Public
Easter Sunday 9 April Restricted
Vaisakhi Friday 14 April Restricted
Eid Ul Fitr Saturday 22 April Public
Buddha Purnima Friday 5 May Public
Rabindra Jayanti Tuesday 9 May Restricted
Rath Yatra Tuesday 20 June Restricted
Eid Al Adha Thursday 29 June Restricted
Muharram Saturday 29 July Public
Independence Day Tuesday 15 August Public
Parsi New Year Navroz Wednesday 16 August Restricted
Onam Tuesday 29 August Restricted
Raksha Bandhan Wednesday 30 August Restricted
Janmashtami Thursday 7 September Restricted
Ganesh Chaturthi Tuesday 19 September Restricted
Id E Milad Thursday 28 September Public
Gandhi Jayanti Monday 2 October Public
Shardiya Navratri Sunday 15 October No Holiday
Durga Puja Friday 20 October No Holiday
Dussehra Tuesday 24 October Public
Valmiki Jayanti Saturday 28 October Restricted
Halloween Day Tuesday 31 October No Holiday
Karva Chauth Tuesday 1 November Restricted
Karnataka Rajyotsava Tuesday 1 November Restricted
Kerala Piravi Tuesday 1 November Restricted
Ahoi Ashtami Sunday 5 November No Holiday
Dhanteras Saturday 11 November No Holiday
Diwali Sunday 12 November Public
Kali Puja Sunday 12 November No Holiday
Lakshmi Puja Sunday 12 November No Holiday
Govardhan Puja Monday 13 November Public
Bhai Dooj Tuesday 14 November Restricted
Chhath Puja Sunday 19 November Restricted
Guru Nanak Jayanti Monday 27 November Public
Kartik Purnima Monday 27 November No Holiday
Christmas Monday 25 December Public

FAQs

Q. Is Ahoi Ashtami fast without water?

A. Ahoi Ashtami fast process does not include consuming food and water.

Q. Can we eat before sunrise on Ahoi Ashtami?

A. Yes, women who are fasting on Ahoi Ashtami can eat before sunrise on the day of the festival.

Q. Is Sargi eaten in Ahoi Ashtami?

A. No, Sargi is the ritual performed during the festival of Karva Chauth and Ahoi Ashtami 2023 will be celebrated after 4 days of the Karva Chauth festival.

Q. Which goddess is worshipped on Ahoi Ashtami?

A. Goddess Ahoi is worshipped on the festival of Ahoi Ashtami.

Q. Which colour to wear on Ahoi Ashtami?

A. Yellow colour is considered to be auspicious on Ahoi Ashtami.