Among the numerous customs and folk festivals of Bengal, one of the most significant is Goddess Manasa Puja on Bhadra Sankranti (September 16 o September 17). It is a special rural folk tradition of Bengal, observed during the month of Bhadra (August–September). On this day, the household deity—especially Goddess Manasa—is offered a variety of cooked foods as offerings (bhog). Goddess Manasa Puja 2026 is on Bhadra Sankranti is on September 16.
On the day, lighting the stove is forbidden, and food
prepared the previous day is eaten.
It is believed that by performing this ritual, prosperity in
food and peace are maintained in the household. The festival represents a
unique blend of folk beliefs, rituals, goddess worship, and social gathering.
The festival is also known as Ranna Puja or Arandhan.
The word “Arandhan” literally means “not cooking.” That is,
no new cooking is done on this day. The main rule of the festival is to eat
food that was prepared the previous day. From the custom of “cooking in Bhadra
and eating in Ashwin,” the name Arandhan originates.
The worship is usually observed in the month of Bhadra
(during Bhadra Sankranti or Ranna Puja). During this time, new rice and crops
appear in the fields, and after the monsoon, farmers begin to feel relief.
Hence, Ranna Puja is primarily a thanksgiving ritual to nature and the new
harvest.
During this puja, it is customary to worship Goddess Manasa,
Goddess Annapurna or the household deity. It is believed that offering food to
the goddess removes scarcity from the home and brings peace and prosperity to
the family.
Various dishes are prepared on the day, and everyone shares
and eats together. As a result, a spirit of community and togetherness is
created in villages and neighborhoods.
The festival reflects the understanding that human life
depends on nature’s gifts—grain, crops, water, and soil—and expresses gratitude
for them.
In many regions, Arandhan is considered an inseparable part
of Manasa Puja. On Bhadra Sankranti, the night before Vishwakarma Puja, the
festival is celebrated with special fervor. On this day, the kitchen is
cleaned, and the Manasa ghot (sacred pot) is decorated with branches of the Phanimansa
or Shaluk plant, after which the goddess is worshiped following traditional
rituals.
Thus, Ranna Puja is at once an act of goddess worship, an expression of gratitude to nature, and a celebration of social harmony.