Hal Shasti

Hal Sashti is a festival dedicated to Lord Balarama. Lord Balaram is an elder brother of Shri Krishna and the seventh child of Devaki mata and Vasudev. This festival of Hal Shasti marks the birthday of Lord Balaram. Hal Shasti is celebrated on the Shasti tithi after Raksha Bandhan and Shravan Poornima.

Hal Shasti 2023

Significance

According to Mahabharata, this vrat was suggested by Lord Krishna to Uttara Devi. She was facing challenges like miscarriage; on the advice of Lord Krishna, she was successful in recovering from health challenges of the womb. She was blessed with a male child thus extending their lineage. From then on, Hal Shasti has been a key vrat to fix progeny challenges- Vamsa Vriddhi. This festival also blesses prosperity, good harvest, and abundance since the Lord is highly connected to agriculture and every activity related to earth/soil. Lord Balaram is also worshipped as an avatar of Adhishesha, the serpent king Lord Vishnu rests on. 

This festival is widely celebrated in various states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Southern states by the names- Chandra Shastri, Randhan Chhath, Hal Chhath, Tin Chhathi, Tinni Chhath and Baladev Chhath.

Rituals

Hal Shasti is celebrated in the farming communities or agricultural areas. The pooja rituals are specifically followed by the women in the families. On this special day, Women wake up early in the morning, take a holy shower and start the preparation of Hal Shasti Puja. Pestle and plough are considered as the main tools of Lord Balaram. People make small pestle with clay, place a stem of grass on it in the pooja altar. Offer flowers, incense and neivedhya, chant mantras and listen to Lord Balaram’s vrat Katha, perform Aarti. After the puja, devotees also perform pooja to the plough they use in agriculture. Women in the family observe fast throughout the day for the long life of their children.

Benefits

Hal Shasti festival dates between 2019 & 2029

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