Jamai Sasthi 2024: Date, Rituals and Significance

Jamai Sasthi is a traditional Hindu festival observed in Bengal, occurring on the sixth day of the Jyestha month according to the Hindu calendar. This year it will be celebrated on Saturday, June 8,2024. Jamai means son-in-law, and Sasthi denotes the sixth day of the lunar fortnight.

Jamai Sasthi 2024 Rituals

Jamai Sasthi is an important festival in West Bengal, especially within the Bengali community. The following are the rituals associated with Jamai Sasthi:

• Invitation and Welcome During Jamai Sashti, the mother-in-law extends an invitation to her son-in-law and daughter to visit her home. They are received with great warmth and hospitality upon their arrival.

• Morning Rituals In the early morning, the mother-in-law bathes and conducts a puja in honor of Devi Sashti. At home, a sumptuous array of traditional Bengali cuisine is prepared.

• Offerings to Devi Sashti A ritual offering to Devi Sashti includes a plate with rice, durbo (grass) and five varieties of fruits.

• Blessings The mother-in-law showers her son-in-law with grains and durbo grass, bestowing blessings and expressing her wishes for his prosperity and health.

Mythology tells of a woman who persistently accused a cat of consuming all the food in her home. This angered Goddess Sasthi, who is said to ride the cat. When the woman's children were born, one went missing. In an effort to placate Goddess Sasthi, she conducted rituals. The goddess returned her child, but the woman's in-laws were displeased and forbade her from visiting her parents. During Sasthi Puja, the parents invited their son-in-law and daughter home, marking the occasion as Jamai Sasthi, a celebration of reunion and joy.

During Sasthi Puja, the mother-in-law seeks Goddess Sasthi's blessings for the prosperity of her daughters and sons-in-law. The son-in-law receives a warm welcome and is treated to an elaborate feast of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, carefully crafted by the mother-in-law. The exchange of gifts reflects the day's true spirit: celebrating family unity and the joy of communal dining.