Dhubdi Ashtami also known as Dhubdi Athe widely celebrated in India with full devotion and prosperity.
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Introduction
Hinduism is a great way of living marking each day as celebration of life and joyfulness. We, Hindus are conditioned to honour the living and non living things around us which impart important role in our day to day life. As I said earlier in my blog on Hariyali Amawasya, Flora and Fauna are always revered to a great extent for their contribution in development and betterment of human life in Hinduism. Our festivals and Vrats are made to teach us the value and relevance of these significant peacemakers of Human life.
One of such festival is Dhubdi Athe also known as Durva Ashtami. Devotees observe Durva Ashtami/ Dhubdi Athe with full devotion to receive prosperity and peace in abundance. also, they pray ot Lord Ganesha.
To buy an idol of Lord Ganesha, click here.
Why is it called Dhubdi Athe?
Apparently, dhubdi is a Hindi word used for Durva Grass. It is three long bladded grass on single root without any fruit or flower. Particularly, it is used in worshiping rituals.
Significance of Dhurva
In Hinduism, Durva Grass holds profound religious significance, symbolizing prosperity and revered with utmost purity and devotion. The significance of Durva grass is profound. This sacred plant, with its three blades, symbolizes the primal principles of Lord Shiva, goddess Shakti, and Lord Ganesha. It is believed to attract Ganesha’s divine energy and absorb the deities’ essence from the drops that fall upon its leaves.
According to ancient legends, it is said that strands of hair from Lord Vishnu’s arm transformed into the sacred Durva Grass. Meanwhile, there are different legends of Durva, lets read them :
a) Legend of Durva
After the legendary churning of the ocean, known as Samudra Manthan, as the Asuras and Devas carried the Amrit (elixir), a few drops of this divine nectar fell upon the Durva Grass. From that moment, it was blessed with immortality and became an auspicious symbol in Hindu tradition.
b) Legend of Durva
During a fierce battle with a demon, Lord Ganesha swallowed his foe, which caused an intense burning sensation in his stomach. Despite efforts by Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and the moon to alleviate his discomfort, nothing seemed to work. Finally, a group of wise sages brought 21 blades of Durva grass from Mount Kailash(abode of Mahadev) and offered them to Lord Ganesha. Upon consuming the grass, his pain vanished, and he proclaimed Durva grass as his favorite offering.
He also promised that anyone who worships him with Durva grass would be blessed. Since then it is used in puja rituals.
Eventually, Lord Krishna himself revealed the significance of Durva Grass to King Yudhisthira. He explained that a man who devoutly observes the Durva Ashtami puja will be blessed with a legacy that endures, passing down through generations.
Significance of Dhubdi Athe
However, this auspicious festival is celebrated with immense exubherence and enthusiasm in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and West Bengal. At many places it is also called Durvashtami Vrata.
In Hinduism, Durva Ashtami/Dhubdi Athe holds deep spiritual importance. Devotees who worship or fast with unwavering dedication on this day are believed to have all their desires fulfilled. Additionally, those who consume only fruits and raw foods, abstaining from cereals, on Durva Ashtami are said to be cleansed of all sins, even those as grave as the killing of a Brahmin.
Date and tithi of Dhubdi Athe
We will celebrate Dhubdi Athe or Ashtami on 11 September in 2024. As per Hindu Panchang, it falls on eigth day of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrpada mas. Moreover, the tithi of Ashtami will start at 11:11 pm on 10 September 2024 and will end up at 11:46 pm on 11 September 2024.
Celebrating Dhubdi Athe in Marwadi way
Do you know its another name? It is also celebrated as Radha Ashtami. We Marwadi celebrate it as Dhubri Athe also. As we offer Dhub/Durva (green grass) to Lord Ganesha on this day for bringing in happiness and prosperity in the family.
Rituals of Dhubri Aathe
In this festival, the ritual begins with carefully arranging symbolic items on a plate or a patta (wooden board). A cow and calf are sketched on a board, alongside images of seven sons and their seven daughters-in-law, as well as five or seven axes.
A door is crafted using broomsticks, representing the household’s protection. As gram and moth are peeled, the story of Dhubri Aathe is narrated, connecting us to our ancestral traditions.
Next, water mixed with milk is offered to the Sun, invoking blessings, followed by a separate water offering. The Bayna of Dhubri Aathe—comprising gram, moth, laddu and fruits—is then presented to the mother-in-law, symbolizing respect and the bond between generations. Water is poured into a pot, marking the ritual’s completion.
My mother-in-law and I have a special ritual for worshiping Durva. We always start by taking off our gold rings to first offer them to Durva. After that, we immerse both the Durva and the rings together in a mixture of raw milk, curd, and Gangajal, offering this sacred blend to the figures we’ve drawn on the patta. At the end, we recite katha of Dhubdi Athe to obtain blessinga of Lord Ganesha and Ashtami. At the end, we tie the durva on rings to keep it safe and wear it for a day.
In many Marwadi families, when a daughter of the household gets married that year, the Udyaapana ceremony is performed, celebrating the continuity of tradition and familial ties. One day before this sacred festival marks a heartfelt reunion, as the married girl returns to her mayeka(parents’ home—a place of cherished memories and love).
Her mother, with love, prepares a special Bayna, a bundle filled with a sari, blouse, moth, gram, fruits, sweets and money, all wrapped in tradition and maternal affection. This Bayna, a symbol of enduring love, is given to the girl to carry back to her in-laws’ house, alongside her own Bayna, which mirrors her mother’s offerings, neatly arranged in a lidded pan.
On the day of Dubadi Aathe, the girl is adorned with a beautiful (preferably red coloured) sari, blouse, and money, gifts that reflect her family’s blessings and goodwill. The day is marked by the preparation of two Baynas—one a part of the yearly tradition and the other, a special offering unique to the occasion.
Story and rituals of puja of Dhubdi Athe2024
a) Firstly, wake up early and then have your bathing rituals on time.
b) Secondly, try to wear red coloured clothes, if not possible wear clean clothes.
c) Thenafter, take a wooden board (patra) and then make statues of Durva, children, statues of snakes, a pot and a picture of a woman out of clay.
d) For worshipping ritual, make a ball of rice, water, milk, roli, flour, ghee and sugar. Also gather itra (fragrance), flowers, incense sticks, diya, dates, coconut, whole rice, garland for Puja.
If you want ot buy patta of Dhubdi athe, click here.
e) Now recite this story :
A moneylender had eight sons. When the eldest son reached marriageable age, his marriage was arranged on the auspicious day of Dhurvashtami. However, during the wedding rounds, a snake appeared and bit the groom, leading to his death. Each time a son’s marriage was set on Dhurvashtami, the same tragedy occurred, with a snake biting and killing seven of the moneylender’s sons. When it was time to arrange the marriage of the eighth son, he went to fetch his sister from her in-laws’ village. On their way back, his sister grew thirsty and stopped at a well.
At a well, the sister encountered a motherless woman who was repeatedly ruining her cooking. The sister asked, “What are you doing?” The woman replied that she was preparing a lid for the eighth son of a moneylender, who was doomed to die like his seven brothers before him.
The sister, realizing she was the brother’s unfortunate sister, asked if there was any way to save him. The woman explained that if his sister and aunt observed a fast and performed worship on Dhurvashtami, while doing everything in reverse—taunting the brother, going with him in the wedding procession, bringing a pot with a lid from the potter, and fetching milk in a raw pot—then when a snake came to drink the milk, they could trap it by covering the pot with the lid, sealing it with raw thread. This would avert the hour of death and save the brother’s life.
Determined to save her brother, the sister began taunting him immediately. The brother, puzzled, thought his sister might have been hurt at the well. Despite her strange behavior, the two finally reached home. When preparations for the wedding began, the sister insisted on doing everything backward. She refused to let her brother sit on a stool and insisted he sit on a stone instead. She demanded that he be taken out through the back door of the mansion rather than the front. Despite everyone’s attempts to reason with her, the sister persisted.
Finally, they relented and took the brother out through the back door. At that moment, the front door fell with a crash. Everyone realized that the sister had saved her brother—had he gone through the front door, he would have met his death that day.
The wedding procession set out with great pomp and show. The sister insisted on joining, even though everyone urged her to stay back due to her health, reminding her that women usually don’t go in wedding processions. Despite their concerns, she refused to listen and went along.
On the way, the procession stopped to rest under a banyan tree. The sister, however, demanded they stop in the sun instead. Although everyone tried to persuade her otherwise, she remained firm. Finally, they moved to the Sun, and soon after, the banyan tree fell. Everyone realized that her stubbornness had saved the lives of the wedding guests and her brother. They acknowledged that sometimes, what seems like stubbornness is actually divine intervention.
The procession continued with the bride, and all seven brothers. During the journey, Durvashtami arrived. The sister halted the procession to perform the puja, following all the rituals. She reminded her sisters-in-law that Durvashtami is observed every year on the Ashtami Tithi of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. She guided them through the steps: after bathing in the morning, they should wear red clothes, create clay idols of children, men and women, snakes, a pot, on a wooden board, and worship with rice, water, milk, roli, flour, ghee, and sugar. After the puja, they touched their mother-in-law’s feet and offered her the ritual food.
Meanwhile, the moneylender and his wife eagerly awaited the wedding procession. When they heard that the sister was arriving with her brothers and sisters-in-law, they prepared for the welcome.
After the ceremony, the sister prepared to return home. Her mother praised her for observing the Durva Ashtami fast, which she believed had brought back all seven brothers. The sister, however, was eager to return to her own children. Before leaving, her brothers spread the word in the village about the importance of observing the Dubdi Aathe (Durva Ashtami) fast. The guests showered the sister with gifts and clothes, bidding her farewell with auspicious songs.
Oh Dhurvashtami Maa, just as you gave life to her brother, may you bless everyone with such grace. Without the story, without listening, without devotion, their entire family would not have been saved.
Conclusion
Hence, Dhubdi Athe is a powerful testament to the enduring strength of faith and devotion. Observing this puja with sincerity and following its rituals can protect loved ones from harm and bring prosperity to the family. The story of the sister’s unwavering determination and her deep devotion to Dhurvashtami illustrates the profound impact of this sacred fast, reminding us that true faith, coupled with dedicated practice, can invoke divine blessings and safeguard the well-being of those we hold dear.
This simple yet profound act of worship on Dhubdi Athe connects devotees to the divine, ensuring peace, prosperity, and the removal of obstacles in their lives.
Wishing you a blessed time ahead.
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