Sharad Purnima 2023: Know the date, rituals and significance

Sharad Purnima is a festival celebrated in Hinduism, on the night of the full moon, in the month of Ashwin. This festival marks the end of the monsoon season and the beginning of the harvest season. According to Tirupati astrologer Dr. Krishna Kumar Bhargava, this year Sharad Purnima is on October 28. He said that the exact time the festival will start will be at 4:17 am in the morning and will end at 1:53 am. October 29th.

It is believed that on this day Goddess Laxmi comes to earth and visits those houses that are clean and full of light. Believers and devotees stay awake all night to welcome the Goddess. They participate in activities such as singing devotional songs and playing games.

This night is also known as Raas Purnima and means the dance performed by Lord Krishna and the gopis (milk maidens) in Vrindavan. This dance is a celebration of devotion, divine love and the union between divinity and the human soul. The festival is also known as Kojagari Purnima in Bengali, which means "Who is awake?" and in Odisha it is celebrated as Kumari Purnima. Girls fast on this day to find a suitable groom in the future and also worship the moon. In Gujarat, the night is celebrated by performing the dance called garba, under the light of the moon.

The day's celebrations begin early in the morning. The women adorn themselves with new dresses. Only liquids such as milk and coconut water are consumed throughout the day. The courtyards are decorated with beautiful Rangoli designs, and then the idols are taken outside and worshiped.

During this festival, kheer is prepared and kept in the open air. Sages believe that on this night the moonlight contains nectar or amrit, which is why the kheer remains under the sky all night. After that, it is given to the family members as prasad. According to beliefs, the moonlight in the prasad contains divinity.