Kumar Purnima celebrated across Odisha with delight, Know its significance

Bhubaneswar: Kumar Purnima is one among the 13 much awaited festivals for the women in Odisha. Kumar or Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva was born on this day. This day marks the beginning of the 11 days of Gajalaxmi Puja across the state.

The young girls perform traditional rituals with a popular belief for a perfect life partner like Kumar or Kartikeya. The girls dress themselves in new clothes and enjoy the festivity by singing songs, dancing and playing different traditional games.

Let’s go through the traditional rituals which is performed by all the unmarried girls on Kumar Purnima:

The day starts with the girls offering ‘Anjuli’ to Surya (the sun) just during the sunrise near Brundabati or the Tulsi plant.The offerings are made seven times with ‘khai’ on the Kula (coconut-leaf-made-vessel) along with fruits like coconut, banana, cucumber, betel nut, sugar-cane, janhi or striped gourd and flowers followed by Alati.

Later in the evening, the offerings are done with the delicious ‘Chanda Chakata’. It is a delicacy made up of khaii, jaggery, banana, coconut, ginger, sugarcane, talasajja, cucumber, ghee, honey and milk. It is laid out on the ‘kula’ in the shape of a half-moon and offered to the moon.

The delicacy is offered near Tulsi, decorated with flowers and diya and dhupa (incense stick), bringing an end to the rituals amid the sound of ‘huluhuli’ (ululation) and sankha (conch).

Interestingly, it is believed that a girl has to see the ‘Uinla Janha’, the fresh moon that has just risen, for a young and attractive husband. But if sees the risen moon, then an old bridegroom is in their destiny.

With the old folklore “Kumara Punei Janha lo” girls offer the Chanda Chakata prasad to the moon. Thereafter, some part of the prasad is thrown in a pond or water and later everyone consumes the rest.

‘Puchi khela’ is one signature game of this festival. This is played in a squatting position where one’s weight is shifted and balanced from one leg to another rapidly.

Also read: BMC issues puja guidelines ahead of Gajalaxmi puja, Kali puja, Kartika Purnima