RAJBIRAJ: Women of Mithilanchal have celebrated Bata-Savitri festival with much fervour today. This festival is celebrated by married women wishing for long life of their husbands and for a happy married life.

The festival is observed every year on the new moon day of the Nepali month of Jestha. On this day, women gather under Bar-Peepal trees in their locality and perform pooja together. They also fast for the welfare of their husband as part of the worship.

They worship Bar and Peepal trees with paan (betel leaf filled with areca nut and other items), supari (areca nut), fruits, and incense among other things. The women, praying for the longevity of their husband, tie red and yellow threads around the tree of worship.

There is a belief among the local people that Lords Brahma, Bishnu and Shiva reside in Bar tree, and if the pooja is carried out under the tree, then the gods would be pleased and would fulfill their wishes.

The women say that during Satya Yug, Sati Savitri, with the power of this pooja, was able to bring her husband Satyavan back from Yamaraj (the god of death). Therefore, the women carry out this fast and worship with same rituals for the longevity of their husbands.

Bhavishya Puran (one of the eighteen major works in the Puran genre of Hinduism) also affirms, if women carry out this pooja with devotion, their husband would be blessed with long life.

Celebrating women have thronged the Bar-Peepal trees in Rajbiraj Municipality, Barmajhiya, Mahadeva, Inaruwa, Koiladi, Maanraja, Khadakpur, Birendra Bazaar, Sitapur, Aaurahi, Bhutahi, Tarahi, Pato among other places in Saptari district.