Bheemana Amavasya 2020: Importance and How To Celebrate

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Bheemana Amavasya or Bhima Amavasi is one among the most important rituals performed by the Hindus in Karnataka. The ritual is held on the amavas day ( no moon day) in the month of Ashadha. This year it falls on August 11. An eclipse will occur on the same day during hte morning hours. Since it is a Saturday when the fstical is being celebrated, it can also be called Shanishchari Amavasya.

Also known as Deepasthambha Pooja, a ritual is performed for the well being of the males in the family.The festival is celebrated in the honour of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. A pair of lamps, usually made out of mud, represent Shiva and Parvati. Lamps can also be made using flour and are called Thambittu Deepa. These lamps are lit to sooth any negative energy in the house and in the minds of people.

Another important ritual during the festival is the Kadubu. Kadubus are dough balls stuffed with coins and soaked gram. These are smashed by the brothers or little boys in the family at the end of the Bheemana puja. Married women perform this pooja for nine consecutive years at the end of which lamps are donated to one's brother or to a brahmin.

The ritual goes back to the legend of a girl who was married to the corpse of a dead prince. The day after her marriage, she performed the ritual using mud lamps and mud kadubu. Impressed by her dedication and devotion, Shiva and parvati appeared before her. Shiva broke the mud kadubu and also brought the prince back to life.

How To Perform Bheemana Pooja

Things You Will Need:

A pair of lamps (preferably made out of mud or silver)/ picture of Shiva and Parvati

• Kadubus
• Thembittu lamps
• Yellow threads
• Turmeric root
• Flowers
• Cotton
• Betel leaves
• Areca nuts
• Fruits
• Coconuts
• Bananas

Preperation For The Pooja

The main lamps are cleaned and decorated using turmeric paste, sandalwood etc. A turmeric root is tied to one of the lamps using a yellow thread to represent Goddess Parvati. These lamps are placed on a pedestal on which rice is spread. The lamps must face the east.The cotton is used to fashion a garland and is used to decorate both the lamps. A yellow thread is placed before both the lamps or it is tied in the center.

Take a yellow thread and place nine knots in it along with a flower. Keep this thread along with betel leaves, areca nuts in a pot or in front of the lamp. Thembittu lamps can be arranged to decorate the pedestal.

The Pooja

The lamps are worshipped on the Bheemana Amavasya day. Turmeric and sindoor is used to perform an archana. The dieties are praised with shlokas and mantras dedicated to them. Diva Shri Gowri is chanted to perform Gowri pooja. Neyvedya is offrerd to the dieties. The neyvedya consists of coconuts, betel leaves, areca nuts, bananas and other fruits. At the end of the pooja, camphor is used to perform an arati and the sacred thread is tied on the wrist of the right hand.

Kadubus Or Bhandaras

All the male members of the famity are called for the ritual. Small kids and the brothers are asked to smash the Kadubus. The elders of the family bless the females of the family and the neyvedya is distributed among friends and family.

The lamps, if made out of mud, is placed under a tulsi plant or is dessolved in water the next day.