| Madhushravani Puja | |
| Native Name: | मधुश्रावणी पूजा |
| Native Name Lang: | mai |
| Nickname: | Madhushravani |
| Genre: | Festival of popular faith |
| Frequency: | Annually |
| Location: | Mithila region |
| Country: | India and Nepal |
| Participants: | Newly married brides in Mithila |
| Footnotes: | Festival of husband longevity and happy married life |
Madhushravani (Maithili: मधुश्रावणी) is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Mithila region of the Indian Subcontinent by newly married brides. It is famous for popular faith and longevity of husband and happy married life in Maithil women.[1] [2] [3]
In the Mithila region of the Indian Subcontinent, Madhushravani Puja is famous for popular faith and longevity of husband and happy married life among newly married brides. According to legend, this festival is like penance. On the last day of the festival, the newly married women also have to undergo a difficult test. In the test, the hands and feet of the newly married women are cauterized with a cotton Temi by placing betel leaves on it and burning the Temi. The festival begins from the Panchami of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Savan and continue till Tritiya of the Shukla Paksha of the same month. This is a 15-day long festival in which the newly married grooms feel an atmosphere of excitement regarding the festival.[4] It is customary that these days the newly married woman wears the clothes and jewelry given by her in-laws. All the materials of the Madhushravani Puja are sent from the in-laws of the newly married woman one day before the Puja starts.
In the morning, the newly married women wear new clothes sent from their in-laws' house and first of all pluck some flowers and start worshipping the idols of Bishari Mata, Nag Nagin, Kechua, Elephant, and Mother Gauri with various kinds of fruits, flowers and sweets. and then listen to the story of Shiva Vivah. During the Puja, the story is heard in 14 sections including Maina Panchami, Mangala Gauri, Prithvi Janma, Mahadev Katha, Gauri Tapasya, Shiva Vivah, Ganga Katha, Bihula Katha and Bal Vasant Katha. Rural women share mutual harmony by singing Madhushravani songs. When this festival starts, the streets of the villages start resonating with melodious Maithili folk songs. There is a tradition of offering home made delicious sweet food during this festival. On the seventh, eighth and ninth days of the Puja, khir is offered as prasad.This festival is celebrated for the longevity of the husband, fame, peace and happiness of family life.[5] Every evening, women try to please Lord Shiva by singing Aarti, Suhag Geet and Kohbar. The women eat Arava food once daily. The women offer milk and lava to the Nag Devta in the morning and evening.
It is believed that Goddess Parvati observed the Madhushravani Puja's fast first and continued to have Lord Shiva as her husband in all her births.