The festival of Sharad Purnima/ Laxmi Puja is being celebrated across West Bengal's Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars regions. The central ritual involves preparing a sweet rice pudding under the open sky.
The auspicious Hindu festival of Sharad Purnima, also known as Lakshmi Puja, is being celebrated with great enthusiasm and traditional fervour across West Bengal's Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars regions. Devotees are performing special night prayers dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, seeking peace, prosperity, and financial well-being. The Nepali Gorkha community observes the festival as Kojagrat Purnima, derived from the practice of staying awake throughout the night to worship Goddess Lakshmi. A central ritual involves preparing kheer (a sweet rice pudding) and placing it under the open sky overnight. Traditional beliefs maintain that on this full moon of autumn, the moon shines with all sixteen celestial phases and showers nectar-like rays into the dish, imbuing it with healing qualities. In Ayurveda, consuming moonlight-infused kheer on Sharad Purnima is believed to offer significant health benefits, boost immunity, and promote mental calmness. Across several areas in Darjeeling and Kalimpong hill districts, organized community programs have taken place where residents collectively prepare, expose, and distribute the kheer as prasad (sacred food offering). West Bengal Chief Minister Mr. Suvendu Adhikari extended his warm wishes to the people of the state on this occasion.
Source:
Akashvani News
