Belnati Beltodi
| Belnati Beltodi बेलनती बेलतोड़ी | |
|---|---|
| Begins | Shashti (6th day of Durga Puja) |
| Ends | Saptmi (7th day of Durga Puja) |
| Venue | Bel Tree |
| Location(s) | Mithila region |
| Country | India and Nepal |
Belnati Beltodi (Maithili: बेलनती बेलतोड़ी) is a special ritual for worshiping to twin Bel fruits on a Bel tree during the Durga Puja festival in the Mithila region of the Indian Subcontinent.[1][2][3][4]
Etymology
[edit]Belnati also known as Belnyoti is a Maithili word which literally means invitation to the Bel tree. Similarly the literal meaning of Beltodi is plucking the Bel fruits.
Description
[edit]In the villages of the Mithila region during the Durga Puja festival devotees with processions go to Bel tree at evening to invite it on the occasion of Shashti. The tree is worshipped with the religious materials by chanting Vedic Mantras. Then a pair of twin Bel fruits which believed to be sacred is identified and it is bound with a red religious cloth as a symbol of invitation. This process of ritual ceremony is locally known as Belnati.[3]
Similarly in morning on the next day of shashti called as Saptami, the devotees with processions go to the Bel tree with decorated sedan for plucking the pair of the twin Bel fruits. This ritual process of plucking the twin Bel fruits is locally known as Beltodi. The twin Bel fruits are kept in the decorated sedan.[1][2]
After the Beltodi ritual, the sedan is brought at the temple of Durga Puja. There the sacred twin Bel fruits are again worshiped and the eyes of the idol of the Goddess Durga in the temple is opened. This ritual process of opening the eyes of the Goddess Durga symbolises the transmission of goodness from the eyes of the goddess. And finally the covering on the face of the idol of the Goddess Durga in the puja pandals is removed for public exhibition.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "बेलनती जुलूस के साथ उठी माता की डोली - बेलनती जुलूस के साथ उठी माता की डोली - Bihar Saharsa local News". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ a b c "Darbhanga News: शारदीय नवरात्र : बेलन्योति आज, बेलतोड़ी के साथ कल खुलेगा भगवती का पट". Prabhat Khabar (in Hindi). 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ a b "कात्यायनी की हुई आराधना, बेलन्योति आज". Hindustan.
- ^ "बेल फल से हुई मां कालरात्रि की विशेष पूजा -". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2024-10-09.
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