Popularly known as Gatari, Gatari Amavasya is a ritual or regional festival celebrated in Maharashtra. Gatari Amavas falls on the Ashadh Amavasya (full moon day during Ashadh maas). In 2009, the date of Gatari Amavas is July 22, Wednesday. On this day, Sampoorn Surya Grahan (Total Solar Eclipse) will take place.

Gatari – Regional Festival of Maharashtra:

Gatari is a celebration of joy and happiness. Ashadh Amavas is the last day of Ashad month and next day of it marks the holy Shravan month. To celebrate the day with fun, people of Maharashtra enjoy by eating non-vegetarian food. Gatar means drain or sewage in Marati language.

Gatari marks the farewell of bad food habits and invites the Shravan, the holy month, which will be spent with Ekabukhth and Nakabhukth (Fasting during day or night or taking food for a single time in a day).

Gatari Amavasya is also observed as Bheemana Amavasya in Karnataka and Chukkala Amavasya in Andhra Pradesh. On Ashad Amavasya, Deepa Pooja is observed. This Amavasy is very auspicious for Pithru Tharpan and Pinda Pradhan to ancestors. Jyotir Bheemeshwar Vrata and Pathi Sanjivani Vrata is observed on Bheemana Amavasy day in Karnataka. Telugu people observe Ashada Amavasya as Chukkala Amavasya vratham.

Ashada Amavasya is celebrated as Hariyali Amavas in Gujarat. In other states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, on this Sawan Amavasya, Hariyali Amavasya is celebrated. Fairs are organised in Udaipur, Rajsamand and some more towns of Rajasthan on Hariyali Amavasya.

Deepa Puja is an auspicious observance to perform on Ashada Amavasya day. In 2009, the date of Deepa Puja or Diya Pooja is July 22, Wednesday. On the day of Deepa Puja, people clean and decorate their houses. Devotees clean all diyas (deepas) they had in house and decorate them with colours. They clean and sanctify a table and decorate it with rangoli (kolam) designs or patterns and keep all the diyas on the table. Then, they lit the diyas and perform puja.

Deepa Puja is dedicated to the one’s Ishta Devata (Favorite God) and to Pancha Bhootas (five primordial elements – Air, Water, Fire, Sky and the Earth). Some devotees dedicate Deepa Puja or the Deepa Jyothi (sacred flame) to the Mother Goddesses – Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Parvati and Goddess Saraswati.

In the evening of Deepa puja day, all the diyas are lit once again and kept around the house just like Diwali Puja (Deepavali Pooja). People believe that the sparkling light of diyas drives out all the evil and bad powers by which they are suffered and welcomes new brightness into their life. They also believe that Deepa Puja provides them Asta Aishwarayas (8 types of wealth).

Just after the day of Deepa Puja (Ashada Amavasya), the holy month of Sawan begins. In 2009, Deepa Puja is very significant as on this day, Sampoorna Surya Grahan will take place.     

Ashada Amavasya is highly auspicious day for Pithru tharpan. Though every Amavasya day is important to pay our respect to our ancestors, Ashada Amavasya has every kind of significance for Pitru Tharpanam and Pinda Pradhanam. In 2009, as per the South Indian calendars, the date of Ashada Amavasya is July 22, Wednesday. Just after the day of Ashada Amavasya, the holy Shravan month begins.

In Maharashtra, Ashadi Amavasya is celebrated as Gatari Amavasya. On Gatari Amavasya, Maharashtrians eat non-vegetarian food and prepare for Shravana Maas Vrat.

On this day, Pitru devatas are highly active and the every good deed like charity, puja or any other auspicious ritual performed by us will definitely reaches them and provides peace to their souls. Another significant Amavasya which is auspicious for Pitru Tharpan and Pinda Pradhan to our ancestors is Mahalaya Amavasya.

Ashada Amavasya in 2009 has a great significance that on this day, Sampoorna Surya Grahan (Total Solar Eclipse) will take place.

Pregnant women are most delicate people to look after at the time of Surya or Chandra Grahan. Many doshams or the bad omen or the fears associated with Grahanam and the pregnant woman. Works to do and works to avoid during this day for pregnant women are mentioned below.

Pregnant women should take some precautions to avoid bad effects of Surya Grahan or Chandra Grahan. Many people believe that only Surya Grahan affects the pregnant woman, but it is advisable to follow the mentionaed precautions on the day of Chandra Grahan also. Mantras to recite on the day of Grahan are given in this post.

Tips for Pregnant Women – What to do and what not to do – What to avoid and what to perform during Surya Grahan or Chandra Grahan:

• The first and foremost precaution that every pregnant woman has to take is to avoid seeing or looking at the Grahanam. Even though, it is visible to naked eye, pregnant women should avoid watching graham.
• Stay at home and go out side during the grahanam.
• There is a strong belief in some Hindus that wearing or tightening saree clips, hair clips or any other pins or clips will be inauspicious. Avoid wearing or tightening clips.
• Avoid cutting vegetables or fruits or any other material. Many Hindus believe that cutting any material will result the pregnant women a cleft organ child.
• In some regions, pregnant women avoid sleeping during the Grahanam.
• For normal and safe delivery, pregnant women recite Santana Gopala Swamy Mantram and Surya Stotras like Aditya Hridayam and other Surya Mantras, Maha Mritunjaya Stotram.
• Santana Gopala Stotra (a mantra to chant during graham by pregnant women) keeps up the health of the pregnant woman as well as the child (Garbhastha Shishu).

Santana Gopala Swamy Mantra – Mantra to chant or recite for pregnant women during Grahan:

Om Devaki Sudha Govinda Vasudeva Jagath Pathe
Dehimey Thanayam Krishna Thwameham Saranamgathe !
Kadhahaa Deva Deva Jagannatha Gothra Vridhi Karap Prabho
Dehimey Thanayam Sheegram Ayushmantham Yashashreenam !!

Things to avoid and to perform during Surya and Chandra Grahan

List of Surya Grahans from 2009 to 2012

List of Chandra Grahans from 2009 to 2012

What to do and what not to do on the day of Surya or Chandra Grahan? Which things one has to perform and which things have to be avoided during Surya Grahan or Chandra Grahan? Here is the list and description of both the questions. Surya Grahan and Chandra Grahan are the most significant days as per Hinduism. During Surya Grahan, Sun losses all his energy after Grahan and regains his lost energy and gathers the whole cosmic energy after the next Surya Grahan.

We can witness many Chandra Grahans (Lunar Eclipses), but Surya Grahans (Solar Eclipses) are very rare. As per the science also, Lunar Eclipse has very less effects on living beings but Solar Eclipse significantly affects the living world.

Avoidable and recommendable works during Surya Grahan and Chandra Grahan:

• It is advisable to avoid performing any important work or deal.
• After Grahan, many Hindus perform ritual bath. Take meal only after the ritual bath. Taking a holy dip in rivers or lakes is highly auspicious.
• Many Hindus observe fasting on the day of Surya or Chandra Grahanam.
• Avoid outside food during grahanam and as well as the whole day.
• Perform ritual bath, Puja, Japam, havan and all other rituals only after Grahan Moksh Kaal (the time when grahan is released).
• Avoid eating at the time of Grahanam.
• Avoid eating the food which is cooked before Grahan. Take the food which is cooked after Grahan. People can eat the food that is prevented from ‘Soothak’ (Ashouch). To prevent food from Soothak, just spill some til seeds or keep grass blades (Durva grass) on the food before grahan.
• During Surya Grahan, reciting Surya Stotras such as Aditya Hridayam; Maha Mritunjaya Mantram and Vishnu Stotras is highly auspicious.

The stotra given below states the above things:

Sarveshameva varnaanaam soothakam raahu darshane!

List of Surya Grahans (Solar Eclipses) from the year 2009 to 2012

List of Chandra Grahans (Solar Eclipses) from the year 2009 to 2012