When is Kumar Purnima?
Kumar Purnima, also known as Sharad Purnima, is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Ashwina, between October and November. This autumn festival is one of the most popular and important festivals in Odisha.
Traditions of Kumar Purnima
Kumar or Kartikeya, the handsome Son of Shiva was born on this day. He also became the God of war. Young girls perform traditional rituals praying for a perfect life partner like Kumar or Kartikeya, Kumar Purnima marks the end of the month of Ashwini in the Hindu calendar and the beginning of the month of Kartika.
It also marks the beginning of the 11 days of Gajalaxmi Puja across the state.
In Odisha, on this day unmarried women fast, with the popular belief of getting their suitable groom (kumara). Unmarried women worship the moon on the occasion of this festival. The puja starts in the early morning when the moon sets with new dress. A kula (a basket made of woven bamboo strips) is filled with rice puffs, sugarcane, betel leaves, betel nuts, cucumbers, coconuts, and seven other fruits such as apples or bananas.
In the evening the full moon is worshiped again, and worshippers break their fast by preparing a dish containing the fried paddy and fruits from the kula, along with curd and jaggery and offer it to the moon god before a tulsi plant. After this, maidens play games and sing songs under the light of the full moon.
