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| Kushagrahani Amavasya | | | Omkar Dattatray
Kushagrahani Amavasya this year falls on today 23rd August, 2025 Saturday. Amavasya –new moon of Bhadrapada month holds great significance for Hindus. It comes once in a year and on this auspicious day Hindus gather Kusha for religious rituals and ceremonies to be performed throughout the year. That is why it is called Kushopatini or Kushagrahani Amavasya. This year Bhadrapada Amavasya will occur on August23 and Shub Muhurat is from 7.05 am. It is considered auspicious to perform related to ancestors’ holy baths, and gathering of Kush on August 23. In our neighboring Punjab the Kusha Amavasya was observed on 22rd August On Bhadrapada Amavasya baths and donations should be performed before after 7.05 am on August 23. In 2024 due to the Amavasya Tithi falling on Monday, it will also be called Somavati or Soma Amavasya and such coincidence happens very rarely. In Sanatan Dhrama, Kusha is used from birth to death. It is used in all the sanaskars in the life of Hindu’s. Kashmiri, Pandits use it in the death rites and rituals and they keep the dead body on Kusha before being given bath. It is used commonly in daily Karamkand by devout Hindus. In daily puja Hindus make use of kusha. There is extensive use of Kusha grass in birth day pooja. In marriage ceremonies that is in Lagan it is made use of Kusha is also used in the Devgone ceremony in marriage by Kashmiri Pandits .Kusha is also used in offering water and fruit to one’s dead ancestors .Kusha is used in the 10 day Kriya of the dead ones and without its use religious rituals and ceremonies cannot be performed. In the Kashmiri language Kusha is referred as Darab. Dabh. Amavasays come after fifteen days and these fall in the first half of the lunar calendar /Hindu calendar known as Krishan Paksha. Many Hindus including saints and Shadus observe fast on Amavasays. Amavasays have much importance in Sanatan Dharma, but Kushagrahani Amavasya has special importance for Hindus. Kushagrahani Amavasya is popularly known as Dharab Amavasya and to be more specific as Dhrab Mavas. On the auspicious occasion of Kushagrahani Amavasya, Kashmiri Pandits used to go to the fields and banks of rivers in Kashmir and collected Kusha called in Kashmiri parlance as Dhrab. Kusha /Dharb has special value and significance for Hindus and it is used in various religious rituals and ceremonies. The importance and value of Kusha in the life of Sanatani Dharmi’s life cannot be exaggerated. Kusha is made use of during life and even in death rite and afterwards in observing the days of dead ancestors Kusha is used. In fact there is no Hindu ritual and ceremony which can be performed without the use of Kusha. Kusha is regarded very sacred and holy by Hindus. Oblations to gods and dead ones is made using Kusha as medium. There are ten types of kush as per Hindu scriptures, and it is said that one should gather whichever is available. The kush with a sharp root, seven leaves, uncut tip, and green color is considered suitable for both Deva – divine and Pitru – ancestor rituals. In Sanatan Dhrama, a person has to perform 16 Sanaskars from birth to death and in all these religious rituals kush is used to perform the rituals. To perform Kushpatani Amavasya Puja, the Kush grass is collected throughout the year for auspicious ceremonies. There are ten types of grass called Kush according to ancient scriptures used in puja rituals. Kush in its original form having seven leaves, dark green in color, and without any damage is considered appropriate for worshipping the Lord. While plucking the grass, the person should chant, ’’Hum Phat’’ mantra continuously. Visiting pilgrimages, holy bath, homas, fast on this day gives relief from liabilities and sins to a person. This is the reason it is considered to be an auspicious day for homas and meditations. Lord Vishnu is worshipped on this day. This fast is observed for one continuous year. It gives relief from the mental, as well As physical and financial problems. Ceremonies for dead ancestors peace is performed on Aghor Chaturdashi. People observe fast in dedication of their dead ancestors, along with other ritual practices for the peace of their inner soul .As per Shastras, Pitra Deva is the lord of Amavasya tithi and hence performing deeds for in the name of ancestors is considered to be auspicious. Amavasaya on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday lying on Anuradha Vishakha or Swati Nakshtra is believed to be very pure and auspicious. On this day people observe fast in dedication of their dead ancestors, along with other ritual practices for the peace of their soul. Pitra Deva is the lord of Amavasya tithi and hence performing deeds for in the name of ancestors is considered to be auspicious. Kusha grass is very important for Hindus.The Rigveda prescribes the sprinkling on the soma juice upon kusha grass in the performance of a rite .The Garuda Purana states that the Kusha grass is born of the hair of Vishnu and that it offers residence to the essence of all three of the Trimurti. Desmostachya bipinnata –darba or kusa has long been used in various traditions by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists as a very sacred plant. According to early Buddhist accounts, it was the material used by Buddha for his meditation seat when he attained enlightenment. Kusha grass is known to be the purifying object. In kumb pooja, the grass is used to purify different objects of worship by sprinkling holy waters using the grass. Brahmins put this grass always in their homes and use for any purifying ritual. Kashmiri Pandits make kusha into ring type and wear it in their Anamika that is the finger near little finger and then take part in religious rituals and ceremonies. On Kushagrahani Amavasaya, Hindus including KP’s gather kusha grass on this day and it is the most auspicious day for collecting Kusha grass and then it is stored and used throughout the year in religious rituals and ceremonies and it is considered pure, holy and sacred by Hindus and it has the purifying attribute as per Hindu texts. Let us preserve our rituals, traditions and customs and pass it on to the next generations.
The author is a Columnist, social, KP activist & Freelancer |
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