20 Oct, 2021

" HAPPY SHARAD PURNIMA "

Sharad Purnima also known as Kumara Purnima, Kojagiri Purnima, Navanna Purnima or Kaumudi Purnima is a harvest festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin (September to October), marking the end of the monsoon season. On this auspicious day, many divine pairs like Radha Krishna, Shiva Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan are worshipped along with the moon and are offered flowers and kheer (sweet dish made of rice and milk). Deities in temples are usually dressed in white color signifying the brightness of moon. Many people observe full day fasting on this day. This day is celebrated differently in different parts of the country. In Odisha, on this day unmarried women keep fast with the popular belief of getting their suitable groom(kumara). This festival starts with maidens welcoming the sun god just at sunrise with a coconut-leaf-made-vessel called 'kula' filled with fried paddy containing 7 fruits like coconut, banana, cucumber, betel nut, sugar-cane, guava followed by 'Aarti'. In the evening they break their fast by preparing a dish containing the fried paddy of the morning along with the fruits, curd, and jaggery to offer the moon god before the 'tulsi' plant. After this maidens play games and sing songs under the light of the full moon. In many parts of the Gujarat, garba (form of dance) takes place in the presence of moon light.