KOJAGORI LOKHKHI PUJO
(Kojagari Lakshmi Puja)
Kojagari / Kojagori Lokhkhi pujo is perfomed and observed on the night of Ashwin Poornima( full moon) Also knowsn as Sharad poornima, a special worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed on this day, and people from the East of India especially fast on this day.
In this fast, there is a tradition of keeping vigil (Jagaran/ keep awake) at night. According to the Kojagara Vrat Story, Goddess Lakshmi visits the world on the night of Ashwin Purnima and She bestows wealth and prosperity on those devotees who are awake on this night (Ke jaage re -meaning who's awake, which later got distorted to Kojagari, giving the festival its name).
We, that's my maternal and paternal side of the family are Baangaals, i.e.we trace our roots to the eastern part of undivided Bengal. Of course it is a mixed bag of the east and the west Bengal now, but Kojagiri remains one big event in the family. Kojagori is celebrated on Sharad Poornima and the Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in Bengali households; a way to hold on to our culture and traditions.
Maa, my mother never did Kojagiri Lakshmi Puja at home. She was told not to as she was the youngest daughter-in-law of the house. The puja was done and still happens at Bodo Maa's house, my father's late elder brother and his sister-in-law's house now. We do the puja at home, but many call their family pandit and purohit for worshipping Maa Lakshmi in a traditional way with mantras and yagnas.
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja at my Dida's(maternal grandmother's) place is celebrated in a big way. I learned all my puja vidhis(methods and rituals) observing my elders.
Maa's second brother had done a course in arts from the JJ School of Art. From my childhood my Lokhkhi Pujo started watching him draw huge alponas(artistic painted designs/motifs) at home using rice flour, chalk, and fuller's earth. He was wonderful at it. Later I would often act as his apprentice.
The worship part was on my eldest uncle, Bodo Mamu. I remember he would fast the entire day and worship the Goddess at night. The cooking was done by the ladies , my mamis(aunts) and grandmother. Everybody was invited, friends, family, neighbours, office colleagues and the padar loke(the colony people and neighbours). The house would be decorated and lighted and music played on the sound system. It was like a huge public event.
Dida used to tell me that in their home they used to worship the shora, which was like a clay disc with engravings or painting of the Goddess. But later they started worshipping an idol and a handed down Lakshmi picture.
With time things change and customs are tweaked. Previously I have heard that people used to spend the Kojagari Poornima night, chanting and singing hymns. At my maternal grandmother's musically inclined, creatively vibrant home, they used to sing and play various instruments throughout the night. With tea, snacks and the sllight nip in the air, it used to be an enjoyable event, etched in memories. At my paternal place, the puja is simpler and not that elaborate an event.
I try to keep in touch with my culture and traditions by fasting and doing a small pooja at home, and also make kheer and keep at a place where it can soak in the moonlight. This is then savored as prashad the next day. It is said that this kheer eliminates diseases and also brings in calm and peace.
May Maa Laxmi bring in peace, happiness and prosperity to your homes!
©®Madhumita
