New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) Married Hindu women across several parts of India, including Delhi, Prayagraj, Haridwar and Bihar’s Nalanda district, observed Vat Savitri Vrat on Saturday with devotion and traditional rituals, praying for the longevity, prosperity and well-being of their husbands.

The auspicious festival witnessed large gatherings at temples, riverbanks and banyan trees, where women observed day-long fasts and performed sacred rituals rooted in Hindu traditions.

In Delhi, devotees thronged the Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Piliya Chowk, Najafgarh, from the early hours of the morning. Married women dressed in traditional attire offered prayers, lit diyas and participated in worship ceremonies with deep faith and enthusiasm. The temple premises resonated with devotional chants as women observed the vrat for their husbands’ long life and happiness.

Vat Savitri Puja was also observed with great fervour in Prayagraj, where millions of devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam to take a holy dip. Since dawn, devotees have been offering prayers and performing rituals at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Married women, after taking the holy bath, worshipped the banyan tree and prayed for the good health and longevity of their husbands.

In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, thousands of devotees assembled at the famous Har Ki Pauri on the occasion of Vat Savitri Amavasya. Devotees took a dip in the holy Ganga and offered prayers amid tight security and a spiritually charged atmosphere. Married women observed strict fasts and performed rituals around banyan trees, which hold special religious significance in Hindu beliefs.

Speaking on the occasion, a devotee in Haridwar said, “Married women take a holy bath, observe a fast for the long life of their husbands and perform prayers with devotion.”

In Biharsharif of Nalanda district, Bihar, married women were seen performing rituals and circumambulating banyan trees while praying for the prosperity and well-being of their husbands. A large number of women gathered at temples and designated worship sites to observe the festival.

A devotee in Nalanda said, “Today we are celebrating Vat Savitri Puja. Every married woman is very excited about this occasion. Women pray for their husbands’ long life, prosperity and well-being.”

Vat Savitri Vrat is one of the most widely celebrated festivals among married Hindu women and is mainly observed in several states of North India. The festival falls on the Amavasya tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Jyeshtha and is being observed this year on May 16, 2026.

The vrat holds immense spiritual importance as women worship the Vat Vriksha, or banyan tree, which is regarded as sacred in Hindu scriptures and symbolises longevity and strength.

As part of the rituals, women wake up early, take a holy bath and wear traditional clothes and jewellery before beginning the puja. Devotees prepare satvik food as bhog prasad and visit temples or banyan trees to offer prayers. Women light diyas using desi ghee, tie sacred threads around the tree and circumambulate it while praying for their husbands’ health and happiness.

After completing the rituals, women seek blessings from elders and family members before breaking their fast with satvik food.

–IANS

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