Maha Ashtami Punya Snan is observed during the Shukla Paksha
Ashtami in Baishakh month as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar. The story of the ritual is associated with Parashuram, an avatar of Vishnu. This ritual is more
popular in among Bengali Hindus especially in Bangladesh .
As per Hindu Tradition, Parashuram, an incarnation of Lord
Vishnu, killed his mother Amugha Devi with an axe to satisfy his father
Jamadagni, who believed his wife was not pure.
The axe got stuck on the hand of Parashuram as a mark of
sin.
For atonement of the sin, Parashuram bathed in the river Brahmaputra . The axe dropped from his hand and Parashuram
free from the sin.
This divine incident is mentioned in Hindu scriptures but
the popular name of Parshuram’s mother is Renuka.
The most important bathing spot on Maha Ashtami day is at
Langalbandh in Narayanganj – 20 km east of Dhaka in Bangladesh