Silver Ahoi Mata pendant with fluted silver daaney beads arranged for the Ahoi Ashtami puja

Ahoi Ashtami 2026: Meaning, Puja and the Silver Ahoi Pendant & Daaney

Ahoi Ashtami falls on Sunday 1 November 2026, about a week before Diwali. It is the day mothers fast and pray to Ahoi Mata for the health, long life and happiness of their children. If you are preparing for the puja in Australia, here is what the day means, how the silver Ahoi pendant and silver daaney are traditionally used, and how to have yours ready in time.

Ahoi Ashtami at a glance

  • Date: Sunday 1 November 2026
  • Observed by: mothers, for the wellbeing and long life of their children
  • Deity: Ahoi Mata
  • The fast: kept from sunrise until the stars are sighted in the evening (some families break it at moonrise)
  • When: Ashtami, the eighth day of the waning moon (Krishna Paksha) in the month of Kartik, in the lead-up to Diwali

Puja and star-sighting times depend on where you live, so check a Melbourne panchang rather than an India one. Customs also vary between regions and families, so follow your own family's tradition.

What is Ahoi Ashtami?

Ahoi Ashtami is observed mainly across North India, and by Indian families all over the world. Mothers keep a fast for their children, traditionally for sons and today for all children, and end the day with a puja to Ahoi Mata at the sight of the stars.

According to the traditional story, a mother accidentally harmed a young cub while digging clay, and afterwards lost her children. She prayed to Ahoi Mata with devotion and her children were restored. The fast is kept in remembrance of that devotion and in the hope of protection and blessings for the children of the family.

The silver Ahoi pendant

Silver Ahoi Mata Gau Maata pendant showing a cow and calf in a beaded rectangular frame with a double bail

In many families the puja includes a silver Ahoi pendant, a small locket of Ahoi Mata that is threaded on a string and worshipped along with the Ahoi Mata picture. Our Ahoi Mata Gau Maata pendant shows the sacred cow with her calf beneath a tree, framed by a beaded rectangular border. It is about 3.4 cm wide and has a double bail, so it threads easily onto a cord or chain. The cow and calf are a traditional image of motherhood, nourishment and blessing, which is why it suits this festival so well.

Silver daaney: the beads on the Ahoi garland

Set of four fluted silver daaney beads for the Ahoi Ashtami garland

The pendant is often strung with silver daaney, small round beads, to make an Ahoi garland. In many households a new bead is added every year, so the garland grows along with the family. Our fluted daaney are a set of four ribbed, pumpkin-style silver beads with a pre-drilled hole for easy stringing.

Putting your Ahoi garland together

Fluted silver daaney beads laid out in a V above a silver Ahoi Mata pendant, ready to string for the Ahoi garland

Daaney laid out above the pendant, ready to be strung.

  1. Choose a strong thread or cord in your family's colour, or a fine silver chain.
  2. Thread the daaney, then place the Ahoi pendant in the centre or at the end, whichever your family does.
  3. Offer the garland in front of Ahoi Mata during the puja.
  4. After the puja, wear it or keep it with your Diwali puja items. Each year, add a new bead.

It also makes a thoughtful gift for a new mother, a daughter or a daughter-in-law preparing her first Ahoi Ashtami.

Shop for Ahoi Ashtami: Ahoi Mata Silver Gau Maata Pendant · Ahoi Ashtami Fluted Silver Daaney, set of 4 · All Religious & Puja items

Getting your silver in time

  • Shipping: orders ship from Melbourne within 1 to 2 business days. Shipping is free Australia-wide on orders over $98, and a $6 flat rate applies under $98.
  • Insured parcels: your parcel is covered in transit, Australia-wide.
  • Pickup: choose Pickup at checkout to collect from Wales Corner, 227 Collins Street, Melbourne. Pickup hours are Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and we are closed on Sundays. Hours can vary depending on staff availability, so please call 0452 679 080 before you come. Because Ahoi Ashtami is on a Sunday, pick up by Saturday 31 October.

Delivery times depend on Australia Post, so order early to receive your silver in time for the puja.

Caring for your silver

Keep your pendant and daaney in a soft pouch or cloth when they are not in use, and wipe them gently with a soft dry cloth after the puja. Avoid contact with perfume and cleaning products so the shine lasts from one Ahoi Ashtami to the next.

Looking for more silver for the festive season? Read our guide to auspicious silver items for Dhanteras and Diwali puja, or browse Religious & Puja.

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