# Kojagari Lakshmi Puja: the full-moon night of Lakshmi

> Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is the worship of Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and wellbeing, held in Bengali homes on Sharad Purnima, the full moon of Ashwin that comes a few days after Bijoya Dashami. The name comes from the Sanskrit "ko jagarti", "who is awake?", the question Lakshmi is said to ask as she visits homes that night. Families draw alpana and Lakshmi's footprints, worship her with a simple home puja and offer bhog such as khichuri and coconut naru.

Source: https://pujoparikramaguide.in/festivals/kojagari-lakshmi-puja/ (updated 2026-10-06)

**Kojagari Lakshmi Puja** is the household worship of Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity, good fortune and wellbeing, on **Sharad Purnima**, the full moon of the month of Ashwin. It comes a few days after Bijoya Dashami (in 2026, Dashami is on **Wednesday 21 October**), so it is often the first festival after the goddess leaves. The date and the hours of the Purnima tithi (lunar day) change every year: check your local panjika (almanac) for the exact timing.

Where Durga Puja is public and loud, Lakshmi Puja is quiet and domestic. It usually takes place in the home, often led by the women of the household, with a priest or without one.

## What "Kojagari" means

The name is usually explained as the Sanskrit **ko jagarti**, "who is awake?". On this bright full-moon night, the tradition says, Lakshmi travels from house to house asking that question. Where she finds the household awake, the lamp lit and the home clean and welcoming, she stays and blesses it. That is why many families keep a night vigil (*jagaran*), playing games, singing or simply talking until late.

In Bengali tradition Lakshmi is also one of Durga's four children, alongside Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik, who come home with their mother during the Pujas. Worshipping her on the next full moon feels like a continuation of the festival.

## Preparing the home

Preparation starts the day before or in the morning:

- the house is cleaned thoroughly, since Lakshmi is believed to avoid dirt and disorder;
- **alpana** is drawn on the floor with a paste of soaked, ground rice, using a finger or a twist of cloth;
- a pair of small **footprints** of Lakshmi is drawn from the threshold to the place of worship, pointing inwards, as if she has just walked in;
- the patterns often include lotuses, a paddy stalk, conch shells, a pot and the owl (*pyncha*), Lakshmi's vahana (mount).

Alpana is one of Bengal's great folk arts, and Lakshmi Puja is when many girls first learn it from their mothers and grandmothers.

## The household puja

Families worship Lakshmi in different forms. Some use a clay idol, often showing her seated on a lotus with her owl. Others worship a painted clay plate (*sara*), a regional folk form, or a **Lakshmir jhapi**, a small basket or pot filled with paddy and kept as a symbol of the goddess. Some keep a ghat (water pot) with mango leaves.

A typical puja includes lighting a lamp and incense, offering flowers, durba grass and paddy, blowing the conch, and women ululating (*ulu*). In many homes a woman reads aloud the **Lakshmir panchali**, a rhymed Bengali text telling the story of the vrata (vow) and the conduct that pleases the goddess. Rules vary: some families fast until the puja is over, some avoid particular foods that day. These differ between families and between West Bengali (Ghoti) and East Bengali (Bangal) households, and the order of rites is best learned from elders.

Many Bengali families, especially those with roots in East Bengal, treat Kojagari as their main Lakshmi Puja of the year. Others place more weight on Lakshmi worship on the Diwali new moon, the same night as [Kali Puja](/festivals/kali-puja-diwali/).

## Bhog: khichuri, naru and more

Lakshmi Puja bhog is simple and homely. Common items include:

| Item | What it is |
|---|---|
| Khichuri | Rice and lentils cooked together, often with ghee |
| Labra | A mixed vegetable dish |
| Bhaja | Fried vegetables, such as brinjal or pumpkin |
| Narkel naru | Coconut and jaggery or sugar balls |
| Til naru | Sesame and jaggery balls |
| Khoi and murki | Puffed paddy, plain or coated in sugar syrup |
| Payesh | Rice cooked in milk |
| Fruit | Cut fruit, often including sugarcane pieces and coconut |

Naru-making is a family job in the days before, and neighbours often send each other plates of naru and khoi. For more on Bengali offerings, see [food and bhog](/durga-puja/food-and-bhog/) and our [recipes](/durga-puja/recipes/).

## The story

The vrata katha (story of the vow) is told in several versions. In a commonly heard one, a king promises to buy any goods left unsold in his market and so ends up buying an image of Alakshmi, the goddess of misfortune. Once Alakshmi is in the palace, prosperity and good fortune leave one by one. The queen then keeps the Kojagari vow: she cleans the palace, lights lamps and stays awake through the full-moon night. Lakshmi, finding someone awake, returns, and the household's fortunes are restored.

The details differ from region to region and from panchali to panchali, but the message is shared: Lakshmi stays where there is order, care, wakefulness and generosity, not simply where there is wealth.

## Visiting and Bijoya

Bijoya visits, with *pranam* to elders and sweets for guests, often continue up to Lakshmi Puja, and in many homes it is the last big gathering of the Pujo season. Some neighbourhood clubs that hold Durga Puja also keep a small Lakshmi image after the immersion.

## Related reading

See [Bijoya Dashami](/durga-puja/rituals/dashami/) for the farewell that comes just before, the [festival season hub](/festivals/) for what follows, and the [glossary](/durga-puja/glossary/) for Bengali ritual terms.

## Frequently asked questions

**When is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja?**
It falls on the full moon (Purnima) of Ashwin, a few days after Bijoya Dashami. In 2026 Bijoya Dashami is on 21 October; the exact date and time of the Purnima tithi should be checked in your local panjika.

**What does Kojagari mean?**
Kojagari comes from the Sanskrit ko jagarti, meaning who is awake? Tradition says Lakshmi moves from home to home on this full-moon night asking the question, and blesses those she finds awake and ready to receive her.

**Why do Bengalis do Lakshmi Puja after Durga Puja?**
In Bengali tradition Lakshmi is one of Durga's children who visit with her during the Pujas. Worshipping her at home on the next full moon is seen as inviting prosperity and wellbeing into the household for the coming year.

**What bhog is offered in Kojagari Lakshmi Puja?**
Common offerings include khichuri, labra (mixed vegetables), fried items, coconut naru, til naru, khoi (puffed paddy), murki, fruit and payesh. The menu varies a great deal between families.

**Why are Lakshmi's footprints drawn on the floor?**
Small footprints drawn in rice paste lead from the doorway to the place of worship, as if the goddess has walked into the home. They are part of the alpana and are drawn pointing inwards.

**Is Kojagari Lakshmi Puja the same as Sharad Purnima?**
They fall on the same full moon. Sharad Purnima is the name used across India for the autumn full moon; Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is the Bengali household worship of Lakshmi held on that night.