Kala Ashtami, Kalashtami 2024: Date, Time, Rituals, and Significance

Lord Kaal Bhairav [Image: Canva]

Kala Ashtami, also known as Kalashtami, is a significant Hindu observance dedicated to Lord Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva. This year it will be celebrated on Friday, June 28, 2024.

Kala Ashtami Date and Timings

Rituals for Kala Ashtami

Devotees observe a day-long fast, abstaining from food and water, to purify the body and soul. The day begins with an early morning bath and continues with the worship of Lord Bhairava. Key rituals include:

1. Morning Rituals: Begin your day with an early morning bath to purify yourself before starting the puja.
2. Cleanliness: Thoroughly clean your home, focusing especially on the puja room.
3. Setting Up: Place an idol of Lord Kaal Bhairav on a wooden plank.
4. Offerings: Present flowers, light a mustard oil diya, and incense sticks to the deity.
5. Chanting: Recite the Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam and other Bhairav mantras.
6. Bhog Prasad: Prepare and offer homemade sweets such as rott, gram flour halwa, poode, or malpua.
7. Temple Visit: Visit a temple, light a mustard oil diya, and pray for well-being and good fortune.
8. Night Vigil: Stay awake through the night, participating in devotional music and group chanting.
9. Evening Offerings: Offer black sesame seeds and mustard oil to Lord Bhairava.
10. Breaking the Fast: In the evening, break your fast with sattvik homemade sweets or dishes like halwa, sweet rott, and sweet parantha.

Significance

Kala Ashtami holds immense spiritual significance. Lord Bhairava, known as the protector and destroyer of evil, is revered for his power to eradicate fear and grant strength. Observing Kala Ashtami is believed to bestow devotees with courage, protection, and the ability to overcome life's obstacles.