Topic: सोमवती अमावस्या 2026

'Basoda' is the traditional practice of offering and consuming stale, cold food on Sheetala Saptami. The food is cooked the previous night, and the kitchen stove is not lit on the day of the festival, honoring the Goddess's association with coolness.

To harness the power of Mercury and remove obstacles, worship Lord Ganesha. Offering green grass (Durva) and reciting the "Om Gan Ganpataye Namah" mantra improves communication skills, pacifies enemies, and attracts steady business wealth.

In Jainism, Akshaya Tritiya holds massive importance. On this day, the first Jain Tirthankara, Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath), broke his continuous 13-month fast by consuming sugarcane juice. Today, many Jains who observe the Varshi Tapa (a year-long alternate-day fasting vow) break their fast on this day by drinking sugarcane juice.

Today marks the auspicious observance of Yogini Ekadashi specifically for the Smarta Vaishnava community. The Nimbarka and other Vaishnava communities will observe it tomorrow (11 July).