Narmada Jayanti, is the celebration of the river Narmada, and it is quintessentially a Hindu and an Indian ritual, as celebrating the birthday of a river and seeking blessings from it as a mother is a very Indian and Hindu trait.
Narmada Jayanti is observed every year on the Shukla Paksha Saptami in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar. The day is the birth anniversary of the River Narmada, as she appeared on the earth.
- Flow path of the River Narmada –
Narmada River originated at the Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh, and then has flown in the western direction, through Mahashtra and Gujarat and then merging into the Arabian Ocean.
- Legend regarding the creation of Narmada River –
According to the legends, when the Devas or the Gods were fighting the Asuras or the demons, they needed to wash away the sins incurred by them while annihilating the Asuras. Then Lord Shiva created the River Narmada to wash away the sins of the Gods. This incident occurred on the Shukla paksha’s saptami tithi or on the seventh day of the Shuklapaksha of the month of Magha. According to traditional beliefs, one gets redemption from all his sins by taking a look also at the River Narmada.
- Places where the Pujas are performed and the rituals observed –
This day is of great significance, particularly to the people of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. The most important celebration takes place in the cities of Amarkantak and Hosangabad. Amarkantak and Omkareshwara Jyotirlinga Temple, which is amongst the Dwadash Jyotirlinga temples, are the best places to perform the ritualistic Narmada Pushkara Snan and other sacred rituals. People float traditional diyas or lamps on the day of the Narmada Jayanti on the River Narmada, and also a Narmada Parikrama is also carried out on this day.