[ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n
Kumar Purnima<\/strong> is the full-moon day in the month of October-November. It is observed as the birthday of goddess Laxmi, the deity of wealth. The day is known as Kumar Purnima as young girls in Odisha perform traditional rituals with the belief of getting ideal life partners.<\/p>\n Here are seven important things to know about the day:<\/p>\n 1. Morning and evening \u2018Anjulis\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Maidens wake up much before sunrise, bathe and get dressed to perform the \u2018Janhi Osa\u2019 where they offer to the sun god, palmful of \u2018khae\u2019 with \u2018janhi\u2019 (striped gourd), cucumber, banana, coconut, gua (betel nut), etc. known as \u2018Anjuli\u2019. They also lighten a diya and perform a puja to pay reverence to the Almighty for a suitable bridegroom. The same ritual is performed in the evening, but with \u2018Chanda chakata\u2019.<\/p>\n 2. For a handsome husband like Kartikeya<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord Kumar Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati, was very good-looking and the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom of gods. Therefore, maidens celebrate this festival and perform rituals, aspiring for a husband, as handsome as him.<\/p>\n 3. Waiting for the full moon<\/strong><\/p>\n The full moon is the centre of attraction in this festival. Girls raise the \u2018Chanda chakata\u2019 and pray to the moon. The moon is also synonymous to a handsome husband that the girls are seeking for themselves. Old grannies are of the opinion that a girl has to see the \u2018Udila Janha\u2019 (the fresh moon that has just risen on the horizon) for a young and attractive husband; if one takes too long to see the just-risen moon, then an old and senile bridegroom is in their destiny.<\/p>\n 4. \u2018Puchi khela\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n It is the signature Kumar Purnima game. It is played in a squatting position where one\u2019s weight is shifted and balanced from one leg to another rapidly. In villages, \u2018Puchi\u2019 competitions are held in the moonlight. Schools also organise \u2018Puchi\u2019 competitions for girls. Games (such as \u2018Puchi\u2019, \u2018Bohu-Bohuka\u2019, \u2018Bisa-Amruta\u2019, etc. are played and songs (like \u2018Phula Baula Beni\u2019) are sung in the moonlight.<\/p>\n 5. The yummy \u2018Chanda Chakata\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n The \u2018Chanda chakata\u2019 is a delicacy made up of \u2018khaee\u2019, jaggery, banana, coconut, ginger, sugarcane, talasajja<\/em>, cucumber, ghee, honey and milk is laid out on a \u2018kula\u2019 (winnowing fan) in the shape of a half moon and offered to the moon. It is then rolled into fistfuls of balls and partaken of. This tasty delight is also distributed among neighbours.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0<\/strong>Kumar Utsav<\/b><\/p>\n Kumar Utsav is celebrated across Odisha to commemorate Kumar Purnima. Dance and music performances are organised across the state. Odissi recitals, dance performances on popular folk songs (\u201cKuanra Punei Janha Lo\u201d) and Dasavatara (ten incarnations of Vishnu), Sambalpuri \u2018Dalkhai\u2019 dance and tales of this Odia festival are depicted on stage.<\/p>\n 7. Beginning of \u2018Kartika\u2019 month<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord Jagannath and Krishna are prayed throughout the month of \u2018Kartika\u2019 that commences from the day after Kumar Purnima till \u2018Rasa\u2019 purnima. A special \u2018Habisa dalma\u2019 is prepared using ingredients like moong daal, colocasia, green raw banana, \u2018oou\u2019 and ghee, without the usage of turmeric. This dalma is eaten once every day, before dusk and remains a diet staple throughout the month of \u2018Kartika\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n