Today is the #Kojagara festival in #Mithila also known as #KaojagiriPurnima in other part of the country. In Mithila,it is special occasion for the newly wed grooms with gifts coming from the brides side and rituals taking place at his place. (1)
pic: @ImHimanshuJha, his Kojagara
pic: @ImHimanshuJha, his Kojagara
It is celebrated on Ashwan/Sharad Purnima & known as one of the most auspicious day of Goddess Lakshmi. This is also celebrated in Bengal, Assam,
Odisha, Maharashtra etc as the Lakshmi Pujan day; however not nessearirly in the same form. (2)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
Odisha, Maharashtra etc as the Lakshmi Pujan day; however not nessearirly in the same form. (2)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
In Mithila it’s groom related ritual is most celebrated among #Brahmins, Karn #Kayastha but not limited to them. It is also celebrated among Gandhwaria #Rajputs, Poddar #Vaishya, Keots, Dhanuks and among Sonars(Goldsmiths) in Mithila region. (3)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
From bride’s house, the Paan(betel), #Makhana, clothes(for the family), sweets, rice, Peedhaa(wooden Asana), Paag(special hat), stick, Khadaaun(wooden sandal) kajal etc are sent to the groom & 'Chumaun' happens in the Aangan(courtyard).(4)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
Groom sits on the Peedha above the #Aripan(An form of #Alpana in Mithila). Women sings songs starting with the prayer of family deity .The groom plays ‘Kauri’/Pacheesi with bride’s brother or his sister in laws and other people also plays it. (5)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
Next day or somewhere the same night, Makahana and Paan is distributed among villages and blessing is sought from the elders for the groom. (6)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
This is not known when Kojagra as a grooms ritual started in Mithila but lores connects it with Ramayana era when Lord Ram married Sita & and Kushadhwaj(King Janak’s younger bro) & his sons celebrated Sharad Purnima with Rama the whole night. (7)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
However people also say that over the centuries, it was almost redundant and Poet Vidyapati revived it again in 14th century. (8)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
Also an auspicious moment for the #Hindus as Lord Krishna celebrated his 'Maharaas' the same night with the Gopis of Vrindavan and it is known as cosmic union of the Universal Power(Paramatma) with the Atamans.(9)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
All Purnimas are considered auspicious; some of them as Guru Purnima(Ashadh), Kartik Purnima(Dev Dipawali/ Guru Nanak Jayanti), Falgun Purnia(Holika dahan), Shravani Purnima(Raksha Bandhan),Vaishakh Purnima(Budh Purnima etc are famous.(10)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
Former President Dr APJ Abul Kalam was also fond of Purnima; his biographer Aurn Tiwari mentions in his book that Dr Kalam used to spend few hours under the moon on every Purnima and he felt 'it has energized his mind' over the years. (11)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022
Anyway, it is celebrated in different form in almost every part of India and is a subtle indicator of its cultural unity across the country. (12 End)
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022 #SharadPurnima
#Kojagara, #Kojagiripurnima2022 #SharadPurnima
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