KATHMANDU: The month-long Shree Swasthani Bratakatha, a sacred Hindu ritual marked by fasting and the recitation of the Swasthani scripture, begins today.
Observed from Poush Shukla Purnima, the festival continues until the next full moon. The tradition is widely practiced by Nepali Hindus, particularly women, who worship Goddess Swasthani through fasting, prayer, and daily readings of the Swasthani Bratakatha, which narrates stories of the Goddess, Lord Shiva, and other deities.
Both married and unmarried devotees begin the ritual by taking a holy bath, wearing clean clothes, trimming their nails, and performing morning prayers. Throughout the month, they read the scripture and consume simple meals, usually in the afternoon.
Special fasting and elaborate worship are observed in honor of Goddess Swasthani, who is described in the Skanda Purana as a four-armed deity holding a chakra, trident, lotus, and sword, with three eyes and riding a lion.
It is widely believed that married women who observe the fast are blessed with their husbands’ long lives, while unmarried women are believed to find suitable life partners. During the month, women traditionally wear red clothing and bangles, as the color is considered a symbol of good fortune.
Rituals associated with the Swasthani Bratakatha are performed along riverbanks and at various Hindu shrines across Nepal, most notably at Shalinadi in Sankhu, on the northeastern edge of the Kathmandu Valley.
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