Kathmandu, October 25
Kojagrat Purnima, which marks the farewell to Bada Dashain and the welcoming of Goddess Lakshmi, is being observed today.
On Kojagrat Purnima, devotees stay awake all night and worship Mahalakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. The 15-day-long Durga Paksha, or Bada Dashain, Nepal’s major festival, concludes today.
Devotees worship Mahalakshmi, a form of Goddess Durga, in the evening and stay awake all night. According to religious belief, staying awake and worshipping the goddess invites Lakshmi into the home, bringing wealth and prosperity.
Kojagrat Purnima holds special significance because Mahalakshmi is worshipped on this day, which falls 15 days before Laxmi Puja. The full moon is also known as Kaumudi.
The tradition of receiving tika and jamara, which begins on Ashwin Shukla Dashami, or Vijaya Dashami, concludes on Ashwin Shukla Purnima, or Kojagrat Purnima.
The Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti has stated that it is scripturally appropriate to receive Dashain tika and jamara as prasad from the goddess this evening until the completion of all ritual offerings.
Early in the morning, the remaining flowers, offerings and jamara from Dashain worship rooms are taken to nearby rivers, lakes, ponds and other sacred sites for immersion.
From tomorrow, the month-long Kartik bathing ritual and the tradition of lighting and offering akashdeep (sky lamps) begin. The occasion is also regarded as marking the end of Dashain and the beginning of preparations for Tihar.
The tradition of bathing during Kartik, observed from Ashwin Shukla Purnima to Kartik Shukla Purnima, also begins today, along with special household worship of the tulsi plant.
According to religious scriptures, those observing the Kartik bathing ritual should refrain from eating certain pulses and legumes, including black gram, mung beans, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans, from today until Kartik Shukla Purnima.
