The Amla Navami Festival

Hi friends,
Did you know that there is a festival called Amla Navami. Well, the festival is celebrated in many parts of Bihar. This year Amla Navami fell on 27 Oct.
In this unique festival, ladies keep a fast throughout the day. Then in the evening they worship the Amla tree with milk, water and flowers. Next thread is wrapped around the tree. After this an arti of the tree is performed. This is followed by taking a round of the tree (parikrama). After that you have to prepare food near the tree and serve food to your near and dears under the tree.
What do you think of this festival?

Hi,

That is the first time I have heard of this festival. Sounds like a custom unique to Bihar.

During my stay in Orissa , I noticed that the festival of Amla Navami is celebrated there also. During this festival, women who observe the fast or vrata, bathe Lord Vishnu in Amla paste water. Prasad is prepared for Lord Vishnu under the Amla tree. The devout also do pradakshina of the Amla tree chanting the name of the Lord. Family members are later served the Prasad under the tree.
Amla has a lot of significance in Ayurveda. It is extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine. According to the Vishnu Puran, Amla is a divine fruit.
The Amla Navami teaches the importance of Amla to the younger generation and the need to protect nature.

Hi
I remember reading about the Amla Navami in our daily newspaper.
It said that Deppt of AYUSH, Govt. of India is planning to celebrate Amla Navami.

As far as I can recall, my mother used to call this day as Akshay Purnima. One reason is that this festival celebrates the fruit “Amla”. It is believe that Lord Vishnu resides in both the Tulsi and the Amla plants. Therefore these plants are akshay.

I agree with Bandana that Amla is extensively used in Ayurvedic medicines. The fruit is a rich natural source of Vitamin C, strengthens the heart and improves the eye sight.

According to mythology, Lord Brahma had given a boon that whosoever partakes of meals under the Amla tree, he/she will get a long life. Therefore, devotees partake of food under the Amla tree on this day.

I find this thread on the Amla Navami quite interesting. I would like to relate one mythological story about worshipping the Amla treewhich my mother told me once.
Once, Goddess Laxmi wanted to worship Lord Shiva and Vishnu together. She searched for one fruit which would please both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. After a bit of a search, she chanced upon Amla which has the beneficial properties of both Tulsi plant and the Bel tree. She then worshipped the Amla tree and partook of parsad underneath
Amla tree. From then onwards, it became a ritual to worship the Amla tree.