Sharad Purnima

Introduction

The first full moon day of the month of Ashwin is known as Sharad Purnima. It is also referred to as Rasa Purnima, or Sharath Purnima. The festival is also referred as Kaumudi Festival, Kaumudi meaning moonlight.

The bright light on this full moon day marks the changing season, the end of monsoon.

The dazzling night is associated with the divine love filled Raas Lila (Expression of love by graceful dance) of Lord Krishna with Radha and Gopis.

This mythological past related to Sharad Purnima, makes it the best time to manifest love between couples. The day is also referred as Rasa Purnima or Raas Lila Day.

Sharad Poornima is also known as Kojagari Poornima. It is believed that on this night Goddess Lakshmi visits from place to place asking “Kojagari??” meaning “Who is awake” and bless those who are found awake.

Hence people don’t sleep this night and spend whole night by playing games, singing and doing all amusing activities.

Rituals:

1. Many rituals are practiced on this festival of bright moonlight. There is general practice of preparing kheer (Sweet dish made by boiling milk and mixing cooked rice along with sugar and dry fruits) and offered before God.

2. In some areas, the full moon is not seen directly instead it is seen on a vessel filled with boiling milk.

3. Some people thread a needle on this full moon night under the rays of the moon. This is said to improve one’s eyesight.

4. The most common practice is of keeping the prepared kheer, poha (Rice flakes) or sweets in moonlight through out the night and distributed as Prasad on the next day.

Medical Significance:

It is considered that the moon and Earth are at the closer distance on Sharad Purnima night due to this the rays of the moon have several curative properties. It is believed that keeping food under the moonlight nourishes the body and soul.

Celebration

Sharad Purnima is celebrated with great joy and excitement across India. This day is also considered as birthday of Goddess Laxmi in many parts of India and is believed that Goddess Laxmi comes to visit earth and bless all people, who are found awake for wealth and prosperity so,there is trend to avoid sleep at Sharad Purnima night. People try to engage themselves by playing various games and witness the moonlight by singing songs.

Different places in India have different rituals associated with the Sharad Purnima. In Maharashtra, the trend of honoring the eldest child is practiced on this day.

In Gujarat, the night of Sharad Purnima is celebrated by performing Garba and Raas (Dance forms).

Bengalis celebrate this festival with gaiety and fun and almost all families have their distinct celebrations for Sharad Purnima. In Orissa, Sharad purnima is mainly celebrated by females. Married women keep fast for well being and prosperity of their family while unmarried women observe fast for getting blessed with good looking and caring husbands. Along with this, many families worship Goddess Laxmi on this day and keep vigilant through out the night by playing chess and other indoor games.

Puja

Preparations:

Sharad Purnima is celebrated with great joy and excitement across India. This day is also considered as birthday of Goddess Laxmi in many parts of India and is believed that Goddess Laxmi comes to visit earth and bless all people, who are found awake for wealth and prosperity so,

* Kheer made out of cow's milk

* Puri

* White clothes for the idols of the Gods

* One pata

* One kalash with water

* Wheat kernels in a katori, roli – chawal

Vidhi (Method) of Puja

* Place kalash filled with water and a katori with wheat kernels on Pata.

* Draw swastik with roli on the kalash and katori.

* Read/ listen the katha of Sharad Purnirna, after taking 13 kernels of wheat in the hand

* Water in the kalash is kept in open for whole night to be offered to the moon.

Katha

Sharad Purnima Ki Katha

There was a Sahukaar (Business man) who had two daughters. Both the sisters used to keep the purnima (full moon) fast. The older sister used to observe the entire fast while the younger sister used to observe it only in part.

Because of this the younger sister’s children used to die as soon as they were born. Unable to understand the reason of her children’s death, she consulted many pundits. They all told her that because she did not observe the purnima fast completely her children did not live.

Taking their advice, the younger sister observed the purnima fast and followed it completely. After some time, a son was born to her but he also did not survive. The younger sister put the body of the son on a peedha (stool) covered it with a cloth and invited her sister to sit on it. Not knowing about the child, the sister lowered herself on to the stool.

As soon as she touched the body, the child came to life and started crying. Startled, the older sister accosted the younger sister for making her commit a sin of killing the boy. The younger sister explained everything and told her that it was because of the older sister's punya (virtues - good deeds) that the boy has been brought back to life.

Purnima Mata, as you blessed the younger sister, so also bless the narrator of the katha, the listeners of the katha and the followers of the katha with their families.

Bindaayakji /Ganeshji ki Katha is read after one reads the festival katha. A few grains of rice are kept in the hand while listening to the katha. After completion of the katha, the rice grains are left in the water of the kalash, kept for puja.

Time of Sharad Purnima Celebration

It is the harvest festival celebrated in the months of October/ November. According to Hindu calendar, the Sharad Purnima falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month Ashwin.