BY TC News Desk
Agartala, October 27: Lakhs of Bengalis to celebrate Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Saturday, a special worship of the goddess of wealth and fortune. The festival falls on the full moon night of the Hindu month of Ashwin, and is also known as Kojagari Purnima.
According to the tradition, Goddess Lakshmi visits the earth on this auspicious night and blesses those who are awake and devoted to her. The word Kojagari means ‘who is awake?’ and refers to the vigil that the devotees keep throughout the night. It is believed that those who worship Lakshmi at night will be rewarded with wealth and prosperity.
The preparations for the festival began a day before, with people buying idols, flowers, fruits, sweets and other items for the puja. The markets in Agartala, the capital of Tripura, were crowded with buyers and sellers. However, not everyone was happy with the business. Some idol makers and vendors complained that the market was depressed and the prices were low compared to previous years. They blamed the economic slowdown and the pandemic for the lack of demand.
On the day of the puja, people decorated their homes with lamps, rangoli and alpana. They placed the idols of Lakshmi and her consort Vishnu on a pedestal and offered them various offerings such as rice, milk, honey, ghee, curd, puffed rice, coconut, banana and sweets. They also chanted mantras and sang hymns in praise of the goddess. Some people also performed a ritual called Lakshmi Brata, which involves fasting and reading a sacred book called Lakshmi Panchali.
The celebration of Kojagari Lakshmi Puja reflects the cultural and religious diversity of India. The festival is also observed by other communities in different ways. For example, in some parts of North India, people worship the moon god Chandra on this night. In Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, people play games and enjoy music and dance on this occasion. In Orissa, people worship their ancestors and offer them food and water.
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is a festival that celebrates the power of faith and devotion. It is a night when people seek the blessings of the goddess who can fulfill their desires and aspirations. It is a night when people express their gratitude for the abundance and prosperity that they have received in their lives. It is a night when people pray for peace and happiness for themselves and their loved ones.
