According to a legend in the Shiva Purana, two of the triads of Hindu Gods – Brahma and Vishnu – were fighting to establish who’s superior between the two. Horrified at the intensity of the battle, the other gods asked Shiva to intervene and he assumed the form of a huge column of fire in between Brahma and Vishnu to make them realise the futility of their fight. Brahma and Vishnu decided to find the topmost end of the fire column. Brahma assumed the form of a swan and went upwards while Vishnu took the form of Varaha and went inside earth. As light has no limit, neither Brahma nor Vishnu could find the end despite searching for thousands of miles.

During his journey upwards, Brahma came across a Ketaki flower wafting down slowly. When asked where she had come from, the flower replied she had been offered at the top of the fire column. Brahma decided to end his search and take the flower as a witness. This angered Shiva who then punished Brahma for lying and cursed him that no one would ever pray to him. Till date, Hindus do not worship Brahma and there is only one temple dedicated to him – the Pushkar temple in Rajasthan. The Ketaki flower too was banned from being used as an offering for any worship, as she had testified falsely. Since Shiva helped pacify the fight among the Gods, the day is celebrated in his honour.