As the monsoon season ends, the Kojagari Purnima or the Sharad Purnima is celebrated on a full moon day which is considered as a harvest festival of the Hindus. It is said that on this day the earth and the moon are very close to each other and as such the rays from the moon that we receive are very good for the nourishment of the soul and body. In Maharashtra this puja is performed with a lot of grandeur. The devotees offer their prayers to Goddess Laxmi and even observe fast for the whole day. It is believed that during the night the Goddess visit the houses of the devotees and showers her blessings on whoever stays awake on this night. So people try not to fall asleep during the night and sing devotional songs to keep themselves engaged. During this puja, people decorate their houses well with lights and draw rangolis to welcome Goddess Laxmi. It is a festival which welcomes brightness in the lives of the people. Another tradition of this festival is that the devotees have cold milk with rice flakes in the night after the puja is over. This festival is celebrated in different parts of the country in different ways but with the same devotion towards Goddess Laxmi.
Duration of the festival
The Kojagiri Laxmi puja is celebrated in Maharashtra for one day on full moon day during the months of September or October.
Highlights/ Important Rituals of the Festival
- The devotees generally do not intake any solid food on this day and strive on juices and liquids.
- In Maharashtra the Kojagari Laxmi Puja is celebrated as a big event in the Kolhapur Mahalaxmi temple where many devotees gather to offer their praying.
- The greatest attraction of this puja is the Masala Dudh which is prepared by adding some masalas and a lot of dry fruits.
- On this occasion the eldest child of the family is also honored which is a part of this ritual.
History of the Attraction
There is an interesting story behind the performance of this puja. The story goes like this, once a king faced a lot of financial troubles and was going through a very bad time. Seeing this, the queen worshipped Goddess Laxmi and also observed fast and stayed awake the whole night to please the Goddess of wealth. After this, their crisis was over and they were once again blessed with prosperity and happiness. Following this, the Kojagari laxmi puja started being performed in many parts of our country including Maharashtra.
