Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Sharad Purnima

Lakshmi Puja is performed in every household in Bengal on the day of Sharad Purnima. The Lakshmi Puja that is celebrated on the full moon day of the last month of Ashwin is called Kojagari Lakshmi Puja.

Why is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja celebrated?

The word Kojagari is derived from 'Ko Jagati'. It literally means 'Who is awake?' It is said that on the day of Kojagari Lokkhi Puja, Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, descends from heaven to earth and goes from house to house to bless everyone.

But if the door of the house is closed, Lakshmi does not enter the house and leaves from there. Therefore, it is customary to stay awake on the night of Lakshmi Puja. The specialty of this puja is staying awake all night to worship Lakshmi.

According to the popular belief, Lakshmi grants wealth to those who stay awake on the night of Sharad Purnima and play Akshakrida, that is, dice. On the other hand, some people steal fruits or grains from other people's gardens on the day of Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. It is believed that as a result, Lakshmi will bless them.

During this night special and elaborate Kojagari Lokkhi Puja is performed, Bhajans and Kirtans are sung while vegetarian dishes like Khichuri, Naru, Narkel Bhaja, Chirey and Taaler Phopol are cooked and offered to the Goddess along with fresh fruits. It is also called `Navanna' (new food) and from this day the new grain of the harvest is usually eaten.

It is said that during the magical night Lakshmi floods the starry sky with a shower of shakti called Amrita Barkha, a nectar with beneficial and healing properties for the body. After preparing kheer (a type of pudding made with milk, rice and sugar), devotees pray to Lakshmi outdoors to ask for health and wealth. The kheer can only be consumed the following morning when the moon rays have enriched it with Amrita, so as to ensure well-being and happiness to those who eat it.

What are the various forms of Lakshmi?

Apart from worshipping the idol of Lakshmi, Lakshmi is worshipped on this day in various other ways. For example, Aari Lakshmi. In this case, two long wooden vermilion boxes are wrapped in red silk on a basket filled with rice and given the form of Lakshmi.

Again, a boat made of banana leaves is one of the most important parts of Lakshmi worship. These are called Saptari. These Saptari are a symbol of commercial boats. Many people keep money, grain, green chillies, curry leaves, and turmeric in these Saptari during the puja.

Again, Lakshmi Puja is also performed with the help of Patachitra in different types of Sarai. For example, Dhakai Sarai, Faridpuri Sarai, Sureshwari Sarai and Shantipuri Sarai. Lakshmi Sarai are painted in different districts of West Bengal.

Depending on the region, three, five, seven dolls are painted in this Sarai. It contains Lakshmi, Jaya and Vijaya along with Lakshmi, Radhakrishna, Durga with her family, etc. In Sureshwari Sarai, Mahishasuramardini is painted and Sabahan Lakshmi resides at the bottom of this Sarai. Again, a burnt earthen pot containing banana leaves and Lakshmi's face is also worshipped as Lakshmi. This pot is filled with rice or water and considered to be Lakshmi.

Why is Goddess Lakshmi seated on a lotus?

Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for good fortune and prosperity. Maa Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. She is worshipped in every household on the day of Kojagari Purnima or Raas Purnima. Kojagari Lakshmi is worshipped on the last full moon day of the month of Ashwin.

Almost every family in Bengal worships Goddess Lakshmi for wealth, fame, reputation, and good health. However, many people do not know why Maa Lakshmi is seated on a lotus flower? There are different interpretations in Puranas, scriptures, and astrology regarding the position of the goddess.

According to mythology, Mahalakshmi resides with Shri Vishnu on the great serpent in the Khirod Sagar. Again, according to Sanatan Dharma, Lakshmi resides in 5 special places. And the lotus is the symbol of womanhood. Therefore, the goddess is imagined as a lotus seat in Sanatan Dharma. This is exactly why the lotus is essential in Lakshmi Puja.

There is another explanation in astrology. Goddess Lakshmi resides at the tip of the finger. It is believed that this is why one of the most important parts of a human being is the hands and fingers.

These parts provide food to humans. However, according to traditional traditions, Lakshmi resides at the Gajkumbha, the high part in the middle of the elephant's forehead. That is why elephants are seen on both sides of many pictures of Maa Lakshmi.

Hindu scriptures say that Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and property. Many people worship Lakshmi every Thursday throughout the year in the hope of wealth and prosperity. And on the day of Kojagari Purnima, the goddess is worshipped in a special ceremony.

Lakshmi is considered the goddess of harvest, and she is worshipped on Bhadra Sankranti, Paush Sankranti, Chaitra Sankranti, Ashwin Purnima and Diwali. In short, people worship the goddess of wealth only when the harvest is in the field.

Social anthropologists believe that Mother Lakshmi is the embodiment of the primordial mother power. According to another view, another abode of the goddess is the reverse side of the Bilva leaf or Bel leaf. One thing to note in this regard is that the 3 Bel leaves are also imagined as the three-eyed form of the Gods and Goddesses.

Why is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja performed at night?

The word Kojagari in Bengali is derived from 'Ko Jagati'. It literally means 'Who is awake?' According to Hindu scriptures, Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, descends from heaven to earth on the last full moon of Ashwin. She goes from house to house and blesses every person.

But if the door of the house is closed, Lakshmi does not enter the house. She returns from there. That is why the tradition of staying awake at night for Lakshmi Puja has been going on for ages. Apart from that, the puja is performed in the evening.

It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi blesses the devotee who stays awake at night. That is why on the night of puja, the entire house is kept bright by lighting lamps. The goddess is invoked at night.

Why Lakshmi Puja is held right after Durga Puja?

It is said that once upon a time, the gods had developed a sense of ego. The fickle Lakshmi became angry with some of their behaviors. The king of gods, Indra, even misbehaved with the sages and sages.

This angered Vishnu's household. Then, due to the curse of sage Durvasha, Goddess Lakshmi left the gods. The goddess of wealth left the kingdom of heaven and settled in the underworld. When Lakshmi left the gods, the abode of Vaikuntha also lost its splendor.

The gods returned to their former glory, destitute. Realizing their mistake, they ran to the protector Vishnu. Then, on his orders, the gods churned the ocean with the inhabitants of the underworld.

Garal, nectar, various gems, the Kalpataru tree and many other valuable gems emerged as a result of this churning. As a result of churning the ocean, Goddess Lakshmi also came out of the underworld again. The gods also regained their radiance, happiness, prosperity, and glory.

This story shows that Goddess Lakshmi is fickle. Whenever someone becomes arrogant, lazy, or makes wealth, wealth, and power their main priority in life, Goddess Lakshmi will also leave that place.

This is the reason behind worshipping Goddess Lakshmi right after Durga Puja. At the end of Durga Puja, Goddess Durga defeated Mahishasura and became victorious.