Aranya Shasthi is celebrated on the sixth tithi of Shuklapaksha in Jaishtha month. This Shashti is also known as Jamaishashti in Bengal. Mothers in Bengal celebrate this Shashti in every house. There are many supernatural stories associated with this sixth. Here, on the one hand, the mother is prayed to for a child, and the son-in-law is welcomed and given the same status as the son.
During this time, the festival of fruits like mango, jam, jackfruit etc. is seen. As a result, on this day, the mother-in-law worships Shashti. Then the son-in-law who was brought down was placed on the seat and blessed with a drop of curd on his forehead and tied a thread dipped in turmeric oil to his hand for a long life. After that the blessed clothes are handed over to the son-in-law and various fruits are allowed to be eaten along with various sweets.
How mothers-in-law worship Ma Shashti
Like other Sashtis, this vow is also notable for puja’s dali. Five, seven or nine kinds of fruits are arranged on jackfruit leaves in Puja dali. Karam tea must be one of them. And there are 108 Gacha Durba, on the occasion of Shashti Puja, mothers-in-law take a bath in the early morning and fill the water. Then Amra Pallava placed on the incident. Keeps a fan of palm leaves. Puja materials are decorated with 108 Durba tied dough. The mother-in-law has to cut five to seven or nine kinds of fruits including karamcha and arrange them on jackfruit leaves. After that thread oil is dyed yellow and flower bell leaves are decorated on it. After that Ma Shasthi puja is performed. After reciting the vows, the mother-in-law broke the fast by tying the thread of the shashti on the hands of the children and son-in-law. The son-in-law is ventilated with a fan soaked in water.
Every ritual of Jamaishashti is very meaningful. For example, tying a yellow thread with flower bela leaves means my family bond with you. That is, the bond of the son-in-law with the daughter is unbreakable and happy. Blowing with a fan means that the environment is calm and all the dangers of the son-in-law are removed.
Saying 60 60 60 three times means wishing for long life. Paddy symbolizes prosperity and many children. Durba is a symbol of evergreen and eternal freshness. All these things are done by the mother-in-law for the well-being of the son-in-law so that the daughter can have a happy and peaceful family. Ma Shashti prays that their married life will be happy.