Importance Of Shami Worship During Dussehra

With the end of Sharad ka Mahina, 8th October 2018, the advent of Navratri during the Hindu Month of Ashwin, would end with Dashami on 19th October 2018, also the famous celebration of Dussehra is completed with Vijaya Dashami. This celebration is considered to be one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu almanac. Since, Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra, as Hindu Festival, is considered to mark the triumph of good over evil, the coming together of all the positive forces and rendering the negative elements completely toothless. One of the key features of the Dussehra celebrations is the burning of Ravana’s effigy and bringing in Shami leaves to our homes. While burning Ravana’s effigy indicates nullifying the demonic forces, the incoming of the Shami leaves signals prosperity and success.

What is Shami Leaf?

Shami is traditionally a tree found in the Thar Desert region in Rajasthan. A tree which is also common in several other parts of the world. However, in different countries, Shami is known by different names and constitutes as an important fodder for the animals during heat. The extreme weather turns everything lifeless, but the Shami manages to beat all odds and remain green and full of life all year round. Its flower is called Minjr and the fruit Sangri. Even its wood is important for farmers to burn as well as make furniture. Therefore, it is also important as it provides life support in dessert.

Significance of Shami leaf?

Thus, the question why Shami is considered so auspicious and what is its cultural relevance? As the story goes, there was a king in the desert region, who once built a temple. He got a beautiful idol of the presiding God and Goddess and invited a well-known Brahman to perform the ritual of infusing life into the idol.

After the usual ceremony was over, the king asked the Brahman: What he would accept as a gift? To this, the humble Brahman replied that he would like “1 Lakh Gold Coins.” The king got very worried on listening to this as he did not have that many gold coins in his treasury at that time. At the same time, he did not want to refuse the price that the Brahman had asked either. As a result, he decided to delay the matter till he could and requested the Brahmana to spend the night in his castle.

After bidding good night to the guest, the king lost in thoughts of how to arrange those1 lakh gold coins. Just as it happened, the Almighty appeared in his dreams and ordered the king to get as many Shami leaves as he could to his castle and with that directive vanished just as rapidly as he had arrived. The king woke up soon after; though, he did not believe much in the dream, he decided he might as well do as directed. In the morning, he was surprised to find that the pile of those Shami leaves have turned into gold coins, and his problem was solved.

Thus, the importance of Shami leaf begun from there on. Till date it is believed that during Navratri and Dussehra festival, getting these leafs would bring prosperity to one in their life.

Other Significance of Shami leaf:

In the Deccan, as part of the tenth day ritual of Dasara, the Marathas used to shoot arrows on to the leaf of the tree and gather the falling leaf into their turbans as a custom.

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In Karnataka (and many other places too), Banni mara is believed to be the tree where the Pandavas hid their weapons during exile and revered and worshipped on Vijay-Dashami day. Banni mara or the Shami Vruksha holds a special place in the Mysore Dasara where it is worshipped on the Vijay-Dashami day.

It is believed during the era of Mahabharata, the Pandavas are known to have spent their thirteenth year of exile in disguise in the kingdom of Virata. Before going to Virata, they are known to have hung their celestial weapons in this tree for safe keeping for a year. When they returned after a year, they found their weapons safe in the branches of the Shami tree. Before taking the weapons, they worshipped the tree and thanked it for keeping their weapons safe.

Hence even in astrology it is believed that the importance of Shami leaf is always significant and recommended to be worshiped for prosperity during Dussehra. To know on the Astrological significance readers can write to us at mail@futurepointindia.com or visit our website www.futurepointindia.com for more details. Future Point is a team of expert and learnt astrologers for the past three decades. Our team of astrologers would be helpful to provide you with details.