Indian married women observe festival

A married Indian Hindu woman keeps offerrings in front of a banyan tree as a ritual on the occasion of 'Vata Poornima' (vata means Banyan tree, and poornima means a full moon) in Mumbai, India on June 18, 2008.

On the occasion of Vata Savitri Purnima, which is faithfully being observed in India since time immemorial, married Hindu women keep a fast for the long-life and good health of their husbands and break their fast by performing rituals beneath a banyan tree.

The day's ritual which involves worshipping a banyan (vata) tree by applying Holy 'red kumkum' (vermillion) and turmeric and placing flowers and lighting incense sticks reverentially culminates with the women circumambulating the tree seven times round, unwinding a spool of white thread in their hands, so that the trunk of tree is covered in white, as the priest chants the mantras (prayers), symbolic of them being married to their husbands for the next seven future birth-cycles.