No Moon's Day of Jyesta(Jun 3, 2008)

The day broke with some clouds , I mean cloudy sky, after a long wait to lose ones forbearance of the scorching Sun in this pick month of summer. Little to say some other parts of the state mainly in coastal belt, a good rain has cooled the sunny atmosphere for the last fortnight. The temperature in this region is so high that the mercury touched almost 47 degree Celsius. Today happens to be the day of a main festival in Orissa, a state in eastern region of India. The two most celebrated festivities that concern women and girls in Orissa are Savitri and Raja in local languages. And to-day is Savitri.
The festival is celebrated to commemorate one princess who has shown much courage and val ore in being loyal to her in-laws and husband as well as her strong resolve not to deviate from her vow once made to marry a prince in exile while he was in forest engaged with cutting a tree. ( It was strange for Savitri to select such a person to be her spouse, when she was given freedom to choose her own). After marrying him ( Satyaban) she was so devoted to him and his father and family that the King of Death Yama gave her a boon, appearing in person in front of her, on her husband's death. When the boon was approved by Yama, Savitri asked to be the mother of hundred sons, which is possible only if her husband come alive again, and Yama ultimately gave her husband the life.
This is only a legend, so to say impossible. Perhaps the story has been framed to perpetuate the system of subjugation of woman. She has to be loyal to her husband come what may is the only dictate the legend portrays. The woman celebrates it with joy by re-reading the story from the scriptures in front of the congregation of married women taking part in the puja in the mid day wit some offerings of flowers etc to Savitri to be of a Savitri to serve her husband and his family. This is a yearly ritual which renews the sentiment year after year.