Kojagori Laxmi Puja is one of the most auspicious nights in the Hindu lunar calendar, celebrated with devotion and joy across Bengal and many parts of India. It is the night when Goddess Laxmi, the divine embodiment of wealth, prosperity, and purity, descends to bless her devotees. Observed on the full moon day (Purnima) of the Bengali month of Ashwin, Kojagori Laxmi Puja carries deep spiritual meaning and cultural heritage that binds generations together in faith and celebration.
🌕 Origin and Mythological Significance
The word Kojagori comes from the Sanskrit phrase “Ko Jagarti”, meaning “Who is awake?”. According to legend, on this full moon night Goddess Laxmi roams the earth asking, “Who is awake?” She blesses with wealth, peace, and happiness all those who stay awake and worship her with devotion. This story symbolizes the victory of alertness and devotion over laziness and ignorance.
In Hindu mythology, Goddess Laxmi emerged from the cosmic ocean during the churning (Samudra Manthan) and chose Lord Vishnu as her eternal consort. She represents material as well as spiritual prosperity — not merely money but abundance in health, happiness, and virtue.
🌸 The Time and Tithi of Kojagori Laxmi Puja
Devotees celebrate Kojagori Laxmi Puja on Sharad Purnima, which usually occurs in September or October each year. The full moon shines as the brightest of the year on this sacred night. In 2025, the festival will fall around October 12 (Sharad Purnima).
The puja typically begins in the evening, after sunset, and continues till midnight. Devotees stay awake through the night, chanting hymns, reciting Laxmi Chalisa, and reading Laxmi Panchali, as a sign of devotion and to answer the Goddess’s divine question — “Ko Jagarti?”
🏡 Preparations and Rituals at Home
Preparations for Kojagori Laxmi Puja begin days in advance. Houses are cleaned and decorated to welcome Goddess Laxmi, as it is believed she only enters clean and pure homes.
Ritual Highlights:
- Alpana Design: Devotees draw beautiful white rice paste motifs (Alpana) on the floor and walls, featuring lotus flowers, conch shells, and Laxmi’s footprints leading into the house.
- Lighting of Diyas: Devotees place earthen lamps at every corner—especially near the tulsi plant, the entrance, and the puja altar—to invite divine energy.
- Idol or Image Worship: Devotees place a clay idol or picture of Goddess Laxmi on a decorated platform and offer fruits, sweets, and flowers.
- Offerings (Bhog): Devotees prepare special offerings such as khichuri, luchi, payesh (sweet rice pudding), bananas, and coconut.
- Chanting and Mantras: Devotees recite the Sri Laxmi Sahasranama and other prayers seeking wealth, health, and happiness.
- Staying Awake: The tradition of staying awake symbolises alertness to opportunities and readiness to receive divine blessings.
🌼 Kojagori Laxmi Puja in Bengal
In West Bengal, Kojagori Laxmi Puja holds a special emotional and cultural place. While Durga Puja marks the festival of power and victory, Kojagori Laxmi Puja brings the essence of calm prosperity and domestic bliss.
Every Bengali household, whether in rural villages or modern cities like Kolkata, lights up with lamps, laughter, and devotion. In many homes, Alpana designs cover courtyards, and dhuno (fragrant incense) fills the air. The night is illuminated with soft lights, symbolizing the removal of ignorance and the arrival of wisdom.
Families gather around the puja altar, chanting Laxmi Panchali and narrating stories of the Goddess’s benevolence. The sound of conch shells and bells resonates through the night as people pray for wealth, happiness, and family harmony.
🪙 Spiritual Message Behind the Festival
Though Kojagori Laxmi Puja is often seen as a celebration of wealth, its true essence lies deeper. The festival teaches that prosperity is not merely material — it is the abundance of peace, love, and virtue. The Goddess blesses those who are honest, diligent, and compassionate. The act of staying awake signifies spiritual awakening — being conscious of one’s duties and living with integrity.
In modern life, this message remains timeless. By cleansing our homes and hearts, we open ourselves to divine grace and invite balance between material success and spiritual peace.
🌕 Kojagori Laxmi Puja and the Full Moon Connection
The Sharad Purnima full moon plays a vital role in this festival. Scientifically, it marks the harvest season when the moon’s cooling rays enrich the earth’s crops. Spiritually, it represents completeness and divine illumination.
Many people in Bengal and other regions also prepare kheer (sweet rice pudding) and keep it under the moonlight overnight, believing it absorbs the moon’s healing energy. The next morning, it is shared as prasad, symbolizing nourishment from nature and blessings from the Goddess.
🎶 Cultural Expressions of Devotion
Kojagori Laxmi Puja is not just a religious ceremony but also a celebration of art, music, and community.Traditional songs like “Kojagori Lokkhi Elo Gharer Dware” fill neighborhoods with melody, while elders narrate folk tales about the Goddess. In rural Bengal, women gather in groups to sing and share offerings, reinforcing unity and gratitude.
In urban areas, people decorate balconies and rooftops with fairy lights and diyas, turning cities into shimmering seas of devotion. Children often stay up late, listening to stories and enjoying the festive atmosphere.
🌺 Kojagori Laxmi Puja Beyond Bengal
While Bengal celebrates this day with deep emotion, other parts of India also observe Sharad Purnima or Kumar Purnima on the same night with regional variations. In Odisha, unmarried girls worship the Moon and Lord Kartikeya for good fortune. Maharashtra and Gujarat, devotees perform Laxmi Puja and enjoy Dudh Kheer under the moonlight.
In North India, the night is associated with Raas Lila, the divine dance of Lord Krishna and Radha under the full moon — symbolizing love, devotion, and the bliss of divine union.
🌸 How to Celebrate Kojagori Laxmi Puja for Positive Energy
To celebrate Kojagori Laxmi Puja meaningfully, one should focus not only on external rituals but also on inner purity. Here are a few spiritual tips:
- Declutter your home and mind — remove negativity and unnecessary attachments.
- Chant the Laxmi mantra: “Om Hreem Shreem Lakshmibhyo Namah.”
- Light diyas in all corners to invite positive vibrations.
- Donate to the needy — sharing wealth multiplies blessings.
- Express gratitude for everything you already have.
When you practice these values, you invite Goddess Laxmi’s blessings into your life, bringing not only riches but also serenity and fulfillment.
🌕 To Summarise
Kojagori Laxmi Puja is a night of divine awakening — when the Goddess of prosperity asks humanity: “Who is awake?” Those who respond with sincerity, devotion, and awareness are blessed with abundance in every form. The festival reminds us that true wealth lies not just in gold or possessions, but in kindness, wisdom, and inner peace.
By observing this sacred night with faith and gratitude, we awaken the light within — a light that continues to shine long after the lamps have faded.
ॐ Shri Mahālakshmi Namaha ✨
