Kokila Vrat 2025
- Date:
Thursday, July 10, 2025
- Purnima Tithi Begins:
01:36 AM on July 10
- Purnima Tithi Ends:
02:06 AM on July 11
- Pradosh Puja Muhurat: 07:22 PM to 09:24 PM
- Dedicated to Goddess Sati
(Parvati) and Lord Shiva
- The word Kokila means cuckoo,
symbolizing the divine feminine voice and longing
- Observed by:
- Married women
for the long life and well-being of their husbands
- Unmarried girls
to attain a virtuous and loving life partner
- Believed to bestow Akhand Saubhagya (unbroken marital bliss), prosperity, and spiritual merit
Legend Behind Kokila Vrat
According to the Puranas:
- Goddess Sati,
daughter of King Daksha, married Lord Shiva against her father’s wishes.
- When Daksha insulted Shiva by
excluding him from a grand yajna, Sati immolated herself in grief.
- As a result of her anguish and karmic
imbalance, she was cursed to be reborn as a kokila (cuckoo) for
1000 celestial years.
- To regain her divine form and reunite
with Shiva, she performed intense penance and fasting on Ashadha
Purnima.
- Her devotion was rewarded, and she
was restored as Parvati, symbolizing divine reunion and love.
- Morning Rituals:
- Wake up during Brahma Muhurta
- Bathe in sacred water or with amla
(gooseberry) pulp
- Offer the first roti to a cow
- Puja Vidhi:
- Craft a clay idol of a cuckoo
(symbol of Sati)
- Place it on a banana leaf or wooden
platform
- Offer turmeric, sandalwood, flowers,
fruits, and Gangajal
- Worship Lord Shiva with bael
leaves, datura flowers, and Panchamrit
- Recite the Kokila Vrat Katha
and sing bhajans
- Post-Puja:
- Donate the clay idol to a Brahmin or
in-laws
- Some women continue the vrat for
8–10 days
Scriptural Reference
- Bhavishyottara Purana
mentions Kokila Vrat as a sacred observance initiated by Goddess Sati
(Parvati) to reunite with Lord Shiva.
- The vrat is rooted in the legend
where Sati, after self-immolation due to her father Daksha’s insult to
Shiva, was cursed to live as a kokila (cuckoo) for 1000 celestial
years. She regained her divine form through penance on Ashadha Purnima,
establishing this vrat as a symbol of devotion, penance, and reunion.
Temples to Visit During
Kokila Vrat
While Kokila Vrat is
primarily a home-based observance, devotees often visit temples
dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Some spiritually
significant temples include:
- Kashi Vishwanath Temple,
Varanasi – One of the holiest Shiva temples, ideal for offering Gangajal
and bel leaves.
- Daksheswar Mahadev Temple,
Haridwar – Associated with the legend of Sati and Daksha.
Regional Observance
- North India (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, West Bengal):
- Observed only when Ashadha month
is not doubled by Adhik Maas.
- Women fast and worship a clay cuckoo
idol, symbolizing Sati.
- South & Western India (Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka):
- Observed annually, regardless
of Adhik Maas.
- Includes month-long observances
from Ashadha Purnima to Shravan Purnima in some regions.
- Common Practices:
- Bathing in sacred rivers or with
amla pulp
- Offering the first roti to a cow
- Worshipping the clay cuckoo idol
with turmeric, sandalwood, and Gangajal
- Donating the idol post-puja to a Brahmin or in-laws
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