Bol Choth (Gujarat) 2027

Puja Vidhi

Who Should Do This Vrat?

• Mothers: Mothers observe this vrat for the health, safety, and long life of their children, especially their sons.
• Women Desiring Children: Childless women also keep it to seek the blessings of the Cow and her Calf for a child (Santan Prapti).

When Should This Be Performed?

• Morning Preparation: Bathe early and make the sankalp, then prepare the altar and the offerings.
• Puja Muhurat: The puja of the Cow and Calf is done around Madhyahna (midday). Check the puja muhurat for your city on this page.
• Katha and Aarti: Recited after the puja is complete, in the same sitting.
• Closing the Day: Eat only after the puja, with food prepared according to the vrat's rules.

About the Festival

Bol Choth is a much-loved Gujarati observance in which mothers worship the Cow and her Calf (Gau-Vatsa) and fast for the wellbeing of their children. It takes place on the Chaturthi (fourth day) of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Shravan.

The Vrat Katha (Story of the Cow and Calf)

Once upon a time, in a village, there lived a joint family with a loving mother-in-law and a young daughter-in-law. The family kept a cow, and a lovely calf was born to her, whom everyone in the household loved dearly.

One day, before leaving for the fields, the mother-in-law asked the daughter-in-law to cook a dish for the meal. The young woman misunderstood the name of the dish and, taking it to be the name of the calf, cooked the calf instead. When the family came home, grief and fear overwhelmed her, and she did not know what to do.

Unable to bear her guilt, she buried the remains in the ground and prayed to the Divine Mother Cow: "O Gau Mata, I committed this sin unknowingly. Forgive me, and give me a chance to make amends." Moved by her tears, the elders of the house told her to keep a fast, worship the Cow and Calf with full devotion, and trust in the mercy of the Mother.

The daughter-in-law followed this advice wholeheartedly and fasted sincerely. Pleased with her repentance, Gau Mata blessed the family, and the calf rose from the earth alive, safe and healthy, to the joy of all. Since that day, mothers have observed Bol Choth, worshipping the Cow and Calf for the protection and long life of their children.

Samagri List (Items Needed)

Gather these items before starting the midday puja:

• Image / Idol: A picture or clay idol of the Cow and Calf (or a living cow and calf, where available)
• Tilak & Sacred Powder: Roli, Kumkum, and Akshat (unbroken rice grains)
• Lamps & Lights: A brass or clay Diya with Ghee and cotton wick
• Sacred Water Container: A small vessel or Kalash filled with fresh water
• Food Offerings (Naivedya): Bajra rotla, moong, and other simple dishes prepared without wheat or cut vegetables, as the family's tradition requires
• Devotional Accessories: Flowers, Kalava (sacred red thread), and fresh green fodder (Gau Grass) for the Cow

Puja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Guide)

Follow these step-by-step instructions carefully to perform the ritual correctly:

Step 1: Morning Preparation and Sankalp

1. Wake up early during Brahma Muhurta, bathe, and wear clean, auspicious clothes.
2. Take a small amount of water in your right palm and take a Sankalp (solemn vow): "O Divine Mother Gau, today I observe this fast for the health, long life, and wellbeing of my children. Grant me the strength to complete this vow with pure devotion."
3. Keep the fast through the morning. Food is eaten only after the puja, and dishes made of wheat or cut with a knife are avoided in many families (practice varies).

Step 2: Preparing the Puja Altar

1. Clean the place for the puja and spread a clean cloth.
2. Place the picture or idol of the Cow and Calf on a wooden stool (Chowki), or prepare to worship a cow and calf in person.
3. Keep the Kalash filled with clean water near the altar.

Step 3: Performing the Midday Rituals

1. Lighting the Lamp: Light a Ghee Diya and place it before the Cow and Calf.
2. Applying Tilak: Apply Roli, Kumkum, and Akshat to the Cow and Calf and to the Kalash.
3. Offering Flowers & Threads: Offer fresh flowers and tie Kalava (red thread) to the Kalash.
4. Offering Naivedya: Offer the prepared food and fresh fodder before the deities.

Step 4: Reciting the Vrat Katha

1. Hold a few grains of rice and a few flower petals in your right hand.
2. Sit respectfully before the altar and recite or listen to the Bol Choth Vrat Katha with deep focus and devotion.
3. After the story, offer the held grains and petals at the feet of the Cow and Calf.

Step 5: Aarti and Prayers

1. Perform the Gau Mata Aarti with the lit Ghee lamp while singing devotional hymns.
2. Walk around the Cow and Calf (Parikrama) with folded hands, if possible.
3. Pray for the long life and happiness of your children.

Step 6: Seeking Blessings and Closing the Fast

1. Touch the feet of the elders in your family to seek their blessings (Charan Sparsh).
2. Distribute the prasad among family members and children.
3. Close the fast with the prasad and a simple sattvic meal prepared as the vrat requires.