Ashok Skashti 2012 date

Ashok Skashti 2012 date is 12th of Chaitra . Ashok Skashti means 'Shashti the destroyer of sorrow.' Those women who have children attend to this puja to obtain the protection of the goddess Shashti on their offspring, and also to be delivered from all domestic troubles and evils.

Way to perform puja

SHASHTI, the goddess who rules over women and the protector of children, is regularly worshipped at six seasons of the year and at special seasons also. At child-birth, and even before, her blessing is invoked; and after birth until the child attains to manhood or womanhood, it is supposed to be under her special care. In the sickness of children her aid is first invoked to affect their recovery. At this festival it is not common to set up an image of the goddess; but as the banyan tree is regarded as especially sacred to her, she is represented by it on this occasion. On the day of worship the women of the neighbourhood march with music play to the tree; the mothers of sons with joy written on their faces, those as yet unblessed with disappointment in their looks and fervent prayers for this blessing in their hearts and even on their lips. The mantras are recited by the priests; the honoured mothers who have sons give presents to those who have none, and the procession wends its way back to the village.
After this is over sons-in-law are invited to the houses of their fathers-in-law, and after being hospitably entertained there, are sent home laden with presents. On the whole, it is one of the happiest days of the year.

Shashti is represented as a golden-complexioned woman, with a child in her arms, riding upon a cat. Hence no Hindu woman would under any circumstances injure that animal lest she should offend the goddess and be made to suffer for it. The ordinary representation of Shashti is a stone about the size of a man's head, placed under a banyan tree, which is decorated with flowers, and offerings of rice, fruits, etc, are made to it.