লক্ষী পূজা
Lakshmi puja (লক্ষী পূজা)is celebrated in different parts of India on different dates or ‘tithis’. A majority of Northern India honours the Goddess of wealth on the festival of Diwali. Eastern India however, has a totally different concept of Lakshmi puja. The Bengali puja for the Goddess of Prosperity is called Koajagari because it comes on Kajagari purnima (full moon). There is an interesting story behind it.
What is Kojagari puja?
Once upon a time, there reigned a righteous king in Bengal. He promised his artisans that he would buy any object made by them if it remained unsold. It so happened that one artisan made an idol of ‘Alakshmi’ (অলক্ষী) or the Goddess of Poverty that remained unsold for obvious reasons. But the King, true to his word bought the idol and installed it in his temple.
As Lakshmi and Alakshmi cannot reside together, prosperity left the kingdom. The desperate king appealed to Lord Dharma for help. He suggested that the queen does the Kojagari Lakshmi fast or ‘vrat’ (ব্রত) on the full moon night of Ashwin month. The queen kept this fast and did the Lakshmi puja as per the rituals. As a result, the statue of Alakshmi melted away and the Goddess of prosperity reigned supreme in the kingdom.
When does this puja happen?
This puja must take place on Kajagari purnima that comes in the month of Ashwin. It is the first full moon after Durga puja ends (usually a week or so after Dashami).
The Specialty of Kojagari Lakshmi puja:
This লক্ষী পূজা of the eastern part of India has some highlights. Apart from keeping the fast there are some interesting rituals associated with this puja.
First and foremost, it always happens at night. This because the story goes that the queen who started this puja had stayed awake all night to please Goddess Mahalakshmi.
Alpana (a special type of rangoli) is a part of this puja. Ladies of the house draw goddess Lakshmi’s feet. These pairs of feet are always shown coming into the house and never leaving it. The symbolism of this Alpana is that Goddess Lakshmi,or in other words, prosperity must never leave the house.
The offerings given to please the Goddess include rice porridge. In upper Assam, atleast a spoonful of a mixture of parched rice (চিৰা) and coconut water is served to the devotees; it is said that if one does not eat this special preparation on the occasion of লক্ষী পূজা, he/she will be born as a pig in the next birth!
What is Kojagari puja?
Once upon a time, there reigned a righteous king in Bengal. He promised his artisans that he would buy any object made by them if it remained unsold. It so happened that one artisan made an idol of ‘Alakshmi’ (অলক্ষী) or the Goddess of Poverty that remained unsold for obvious reasons. But the King, true to his word bought the idol and installed it in his temple.
As Lakshmi and Alakshmi cannot reside together, prosperity left the kingdom. The desperate king appealed to Lord Dharma for help. He suggested that the queen does the Kojagari Lakshmi fast or ‘vrat’ (ব্রত) on the full moon night of Ashwin month. The queen kept this fast and did the Lakshmi puja as per the rituals. As a result, the statue of Alakshmi melted away and the Goddess of prosperity reigned supreme in the kingdom.
When does this puja happen?
This puja must take place on Kajagari purnima that comes in the month of Ashwin. It is the first full moon after Durga puja ends (usually a week or so after Dashami).
The Specialty of Kojagari Lakshmi puja:
This লক্ষী পূজা of the eastern part of India has some highlights. Apart from keeping the fast there are some interesting rituals associated with this puja.
First and foremost, it always happens at night. This because the story goes that the queen who started this puja had stayed awake all night to please Goddess Mahalakshmi.
Alpana (a special type of rangoli) is a part of this puja. Ladies of the house draw goddess Lakshmi’s feet. These pairs of feet are always shown coming into the house and never leaving it. The symbolism of this Alpana is that Goddess Lakshmi,or in other words, prosperity must never leave the house.
The offerings given to please the Goddess include rice porridge. In upper Assam, atleast a spoonful of a mixture of parched rice (চিৰা) and coconut water is served to the devotees; it is said that if one does not eat this special preparation on the occasion of লক্ষী পূজা, he/she will be born as a pig in the next birth!
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