Ahoi Ashthmi

Mothers keep fast on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Kartik (October-November). Some mothers keep fast on this day for the welfare of their children and to maintain a good relationship between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.

Once upon a time, there was a mother-in-law who sent her daughter-in-law to fetch some soft earth to clean their house on Ahoi Ashtami. The daughter-in-law dug some soft earth, but unfortunately, she killed some children of a porcupine who had made a hole in there. The mother of the porcupine was sad to see her children dead and cursed the lady that she will remain barren in her life. When the mother-in-law heard about the curse she asked her to leave the house as a woman without children was considered by some women as is a curse for the family. She made a small hut in the jungle and started living there with her husband. She saw a cow that was sick. She looked after the cow and when the cow got better she found out the curse of a porcupine on the lady. The cow went to the porcupine and asked her to take back the curse. She agreed to take the curse back and blessed the lady with a child. She was living happily with her husband and gave birth to a child. The mother-in-law came to know about her grandchild and visited them and felt sorry about her bad behavior. She prayed that misfortunes to remain away and fortunes come to them every day, and started keeping fast to maintain a good relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.