Devotees gathered along the banks of the River Ganga at Prayagraj on Monday to celebrate Somvati Amavasya, a day of special significance in Hinduism. On this occasion, devotees engage in rituals such as bathing, charity, worship, and homage to their ancestors, believed to lead to spiritual merit.
Somvati Amavasya is specifically dedicated to honoring ancestors, with devotees encouraged to utilize the day to alleviate ‘Pitru Dosha’. This negative astrological condition is said to occur when Rahu and Sun are in conjunction in the ninth house of an individual’s birth chart, associated with ancestors and fathers.
On this day, devotees partake in various rituals such as havan, yajna, charity, feeding animals, and reciting mantras. April 8 marked the first Somvati Amavasya in 2024, providing devotees with an opportunity to offer prayers to their ancestors and seek relief from ‘Pitru Dosha’.
The special significance of an Amavasya falling on Mondays, known as Somvati Amavasya, is observed to honor ancestors and perform rituals to mitigate any ancestral afflictions.