Shreeji Maharaj first performed a Saak utsav in the Village of Loya, in the month of Magshar/Posh 1877. There were no other festivals or Utsavs during this month, so Sura Khachar requested Lord Swaminarayan to introduce a festival that all devotees could celebrate together.
In response to this request, Lord Swaminarayan instituted Saak Utsav – a unique festival specific to the Swaminarayan Sampraday. On this occasion, the Lord himself cooked a simple vegetable preparation (saak) and served it to thousands of saints and devotees with great joy.
The festival emphasises the importance of simple living, contentment, and devotion over material extravagance. It teaches that even the simplest food, when offered with love and prepared by or in the name of God, becomes prasad (blessed food).
Today, Saak Utsav is celebrated in Mandirs with the preparation and distribution of a simple vegetable dish in memory of this divine act. It serves as a reminder of Lord Swaminarayan’s humility and his intimate relationship with his devotees.