Fri, 14 October 2022
Ram Dayal Rakesh Rising Nepal
Kojagrat Purnima is celebrated as the final day of the Dashain festival. It is an integral part Bada Dashain, the biggest festival of Nepalis, which falls on the autumn season. This full moon day bears important religious and social values.
During the night of Kojagrat Purnima, Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth, visits a house where people are awake whole night in her prayers and worships. She wishes that her devotees would utter the words: Kon jagal hai or ko jaga chha meaning who is awake on that night. Most Hindu devotees in Nepal and India observe Kojagrat Purnima with devotion and enthusiasm.
It is also known as Sharad Purnima as it happens in Sharad or autumn season. The hunter moon is supposed to shine in the milky sky. It is also called Kumar Purnima in some parts of India and Sri Lanka.
As this is a harvest season, farmers worship Goddess Laxmi on Sharad Purnima for good harvest. It is one of the most auspicious days in Hindu calendar. It is also one of the thirteen Purnima or auspicious full moon night in a year which most Hindus in Nepal and India celebrate enthusiastically. Every year Hindus observe this as part of the final or the 15th day of Bada Dashain by worshipping and paying homage to Maha Laxmi.
Bada Dashain formally ends on the Kojagrat Purnima. The devotees keep vigil the whole night, expecting that Goddess Laxmi visit their homes. There is a belief that Maha Laxmi takes a trip around the world to check as to who is observing the devotional vigil on this particular night.
The Goddess of wealth blesses those who stay awake throughout the night.
Sharad Purnima is celebrated around the country in several ways. People in the eastern part of the country worship Goddess Laxmi whereas in some other parts they observe this as a mere religious event. On this occasion unmarried girls worship and observe fasting to please Lord Shiva and pray for getting worthy husband of their choice.
They observe the milky moon to get solace and peace in their minds because the moon of Sharad Purnima is very soothing and enchanting to look at.
It is believed that Goddess Laxmi orbits around the earth. One thing that is of utmost importance in this festival is the cleanliness. According to Hindu mythology, on this day the moon rises with 16 kalas (arts) that defines human personality and it is believed that worshipping Maha Laxmi on this auspicious day fulfills their long cherished desires.
It brings happiness, good health, wealth and prosperity to the family. Attractive Alpnas are drawn around the house and place of worship, sparkling lights and delicious sweets happen to be an inseparable part of this festival. Apart from that, it is believed that waking up at Brahma Muhurta and taking a bath to prepare for the puja can be the best way to begin the day of Kojagrat Laxmi puja.
Laxmi Puja is usually performed in the evening and preparations of sweet delicacies like payash (rice pudding), coconut laddu and other dishes are offered as a Naivedya to the goddess and her carrier owl. Decorating the place of worship and lighting up every nook and corner of the house is believed to bring happiness and prosperity.
Betel leaves (paan), betel nuts and dhan-dubo (paddy plant and grass) are some of the essential things needed for Kojagrat Lakshmi Puja. It is believed that these ingredients are not available even in the heaven.
Worshipping Goddess Laxmi throughout the night brings good health, wealth and prosperity. Rice pudding forms Kojagarat Puja Prasad (blessed food). It is believed that kheer (ride pudding) made with rice, sugar ghee and milk is served to the deity as it brings harmony in the relationships and prosperity in the family. To make sweet rice kheer, wash and soak one cupful of basmati rice for three hours.
Next, you take a saucepan and add one and a half litre of milk and keep stirring it. In the mean time, wash the soaked rice and add in 3 tablespoon of ghee and mix it nicely and keep aside.
In the mixed milk and rice, add one teaspoon of cardamom powder and three saffron strands and keep stirring the kheer over medium flame. After 10 minutes, add one cup of sugar and turn the flame low. Keep stirring till the kheer is ready and add nuts to accentuate the taste.
This cuisine is the specialty of this autumn festival which is rare in other parts of the world. Newly married couples play games to entertain themselves and make this day memorable in their entire life.
(The author is an expert on culture.)
आश्विन २८ गते, २०७९ मा प्रकाशित
