Mavas / Amavasya / Amavaasi / Amavas is the new moon day as per the Hindu calendar. Because the position of the moon is in a way that it is not visible from earth, it is also called no moon day.
As per the Hindu calendar, the new month starts on the following day of the full moon day or Poornima (Punim) therefore Amavasya falls in-between the month.
In the ancient times, irrespective of any religion, Amavasya is considered to be the time of great power; therefore anything that is done has double effect. Usually on Mavas, fast is observed to propriate both Sun and Moon God. Because Amavasya is pitch dark therefore some also consider it to be ideal to do black magic or invoke evil powers.
Amavasya falling on Mondays, called Somavati Amavasya has special significance. Fasting on this day is said to fulfil all the desires and ward off widow-hood.
Amavasya is also an appropriate day to perform Shradhh and Kalsarpa dosh puja. It is said that ancestors visit us on earth on Amavasya; therefore some families follow the ritual of keeping food for the crows with the belief that crows will take this food to their ancestors.
The days from Amavasya to Purnima symbolically also represent gradual awakening and transcendence to the fullness or self realization. In short, Amavasya is considered to be the day to devote oneself on spiritual matters.
Although, there is an ongoing research; however it is believed that phases of moon do effect the human mind and behaviour. Even the word lunacy has been originated from word lunar which means related to Moon. One of the most common signs is that the human becomes easily irritable and ill-tempered or short tempered during the waning phase of the Moon & thus on Amavasya the sub-conscious mind becomes more vulnerable. Also as per Vedas, Moon is the symbolic representation of human mind; therefore on Amavasya, people with unstable mind may experience extreme emotions or even epilepsy. The relation and effect of Phases of Moon with respect to human behaviour varies from person to person and even with respect to situation he is in.
Some Kashmiri Pandit families also observe Mavas. Some observe fast while others refrain themselves from taking non vegetarian food. While as it is believed that on Amavasya evil spirits can be invoked at the same time it is also said praying to Lord Shiva or Goddess Kali will destroy all the shades of evil within or outside human aura.
Why Amavasya fasting is said to be beneficial –
- Fasting on Amavasya and offering prayers to Lord Shiva or Goddess Kali is said to keep all the evil spirits away from the human; not just from outside but also from within.
- Fasting is also done to remember our ancestors by offering them food and water. Prayers are also offered to the departed souls to ensure that they are in peace.
- Fasting on this day is also advised if a person is suffering from Kal Sarpa Dosh.
- Because there is no moon on this day, therefore gravitational forces of earth are said to be maximum on this day. Hence it does have an effect on human metabolism. Therefore fasting on Amavasya helps to keep the acid content in the blood at normal levels and thus reducing digestive issues.
Apart from the day being considered as auspicious and good for spiritual activities, there are some restrictions as well –
- Non vegetarian food should not be taken on this day. Scientifically, digestive powers of human body are weak hence non-vegetarian food might create stomach issues.
- No new activity is started on Amavasya. Usually Amavasya is the dark night; hence in the old days any new activity was avoided.
- People also refrain from traveling on Amavasya. In the ancient days, when there was no light & means of transportations were very few, because there was no moonlight during Amavasya, therefore people refrained from traveling.
- One should refrain from conceiving baby on Amavasya. It is said that if a women conceives on Amavasya, the child may be born with certain mental condition or an unhealthy brain. This is debatable and is still being proven scientifically if phases of moon effect the conceiving of a women.
