Every Thursday, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. The ritual is performed with a sacred pot (ghat), flower garlands, and the blowing of a conch shell. However, there is a significant difference between this regular Thursday Lakshmi Puja and the Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. Let’s find out what that difference is.
In most households, every Thursday—known as Lakshmi Bar
(Lakshmi’s day)—people perform the worship by placing a pot containing grains,
money, paddy, and durba grass. There is no fixed time for the Thursday Lakshmi
Puja; usually, it is done in the morning or by noon, with the recitation of panchali
(a devotional tale) and offerings of flowers and sweets to the Goddess.
But Kojagiri Purnima is different—it is observed at night,
following a specific lunar date and time (tithi and muhurta). On that night,
Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped with special offerings.
The word Kojagari comes from the Sanskrit phrase “Ke Jagati”,
meaning “Who is awake?” It is believed that on this night, the Goddess of
Wealth descends to Earth and goes from house to house, asking, “Who is awake?”
Wherever she sees light, incense, offerings, and hears sacred chants, she
enters and blesses the household. If she finds a dark and silent home, she
turns away. In the Thursday Lakshmi Puja, however, there is no such rule of
staying awake at night or playing dice through the night.
Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is mainly performed to pray for prosperity, a good harvest, and overflowing granaries. Another special custom of this night is cooking payesh (sweet rice pudding) and leaving it under the moonlight all night. The next morning, everyone in the household eats this blessed food. This practice is not followed in the regular Thursday Lakshmi Puja.