Ahoi katha is a traditional Hindu story associated with the Ahoi Ashtami festival. The story revolves around the goddess Ahoi, who is the embodiment of the divine mother. According to the legend, Ahoi is a devoted mother who is separated from her seven children and is unable to find them. She searches for her children everywhere, but they are nowhere to be found. Eventually, she finds them in a forest, but they are weak and emaciated. Ahoi nurses them back to health and eventually reunites with them.
The Ahoi Ashtami festival is celebrated to commemorate the reunion of Ahoi with her children. Devotees observe a fast and recite the Ahoi katha to seek the blessings of the goddess. The festival is observed on the eighth day of the bright half of the month of Kartik, which usually falls in November. The significance of the festival lies in its emphasis on the importance of motherhood and the devotion of a mother towards her children.