Kojagiri Purnima on Sunday, October 25; Purnima tithi lasts till morning of October 26

Kojagiri Purnima will be observed this year on Sunday, October 25. It is also called Sharad Purnima. On this night, it is customary to drink spiced milk in the moonlight.

Kojagiri Purnima holds special importance in Hinduism. It falls on the full moon day of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Ashwin, and is counted among the popular festivals of Maharashtra. On this full moon, which comes in the autumn season, many places have a tradition of drinking spiced milk in the moonlight, worshipping Goddess Lakshmi and staying awake all night with family and friends.

According to the Panchang, the Purnima tithi will begin at 11:55 am on Sunday, October 25, and end at 9:41 am on October 26. The religious tradition of viewing the moon and drinking spiced milk will therefore be observed on the night of October 25.

According to religious belief, Goddess Lakshmi roams the earth on this night and asks, "Ko jagarti", meaning "who is awake". It is believed that the goddess favours the devotee who keeps vigil and worships her. The tradition of staying awake on this full moon has continued from this belief.

On worship, it is said that the place of worship in the home should be cleaned and a lamp lit before the goddess. Flowers, haldi-kumkum, akshata and naivedya are offered and prayers are made for the happiness and prosperity of the family. Milk, kheer or sweets are then offered as naivedya according to one's own tradition. Bhajans, chanting of mantras or a vigil are held with the family. It is also said that food should be donated or help given to the needy as far as one can.

The tradition of spiced milk is especially popular in Maharashtra. The milk is prepared with saffron, cardamom, almonds, pistachios and sugar. According to traditional belief, the rays of the full moon are considered like nectar, so the milk is placed in the moonlight and then drunk. However, there is no solid scientific evidence that milk kept in moonlight has any particular health benefit. The milk should be kept clean and safe while drinking it.

Kojagiri Purnima is not just a tradition of drinking milk; it is also a festival that brings the family together. Many families celebrate it by enjoying chatting, songs, worship and spiced milk in the moonlight.

In some regions, Lakshmi puja is given importance on this day, while in others Sharad Purnima is linked to Lord Krishna's Raslila. The festival's traditions therefore appear to vary from region to region.