Sharad Purnima & Kojagari

The clear autumn full moon, observed with night vigil, moonlit kheer and traditions of Lakshmi or Krishna.

The observance joins season and attention: after humid monsoon nights, the clear moon becomes an image of an unobscured mind.

• Anyone who wishes to honour Lakshmi and Krishna may observe it; there is no requirement of initiation or priesthood for the home version.
• Families often keep the fast together, while children, elders, pregnant or unwell people take a lighter form — fruit, milk, or simply the puja without fasting.
• In many families the observance passes down through the women of the house or through a family tradition tied to Lakshmi and Krishna; follow your family's custom where it differs from the general description here.

1. 1Bathe, wear clean clothes and clear a small space for the deity.
2. 2Light a lamp and an incense stick, and offer water, flowers and a simple sweet from the samagri list below.
3. 3Say Lakshmi and Krishna's name or the mantra on this page eleven times, with your intention for the day.
4. 4Read the short katha on this page aloud, offer the bhog, and share the prasad.
5. 5Keep the day's food rule as far as your health allows, and end it gently the next morning.

Some fast until moonrise; others eat only after the evening offering. No single rule applies across regions.

• ×Fixing the puja by the clock instead of the tithi. Ashwin Shukla Purnima can begin or end part-way through the day in your city, so check your Panchang the evening before.
• ×Gathering samagri on the morning itself. Items such as milk, rice, sugar and cardamom for kheer and a clean covered vessel for moonlight are often unavailable at the last minute.
• ×Breaking the fast heavily or at the wrong moment. Parana is meant to be gentle — water, fruit or prasad first — and is kept within the window your tradition follows.
• ×Taking one region's practice as the only correct one. Braj emphasizes Krishna and rasa; Bengal and Odisha emphasize Lakshmi; Maharashtra keeps Kojagari gatherings and milk.
• ×Rushing the steps without knowing why each one is done, which makes the observance hard to repeat next year.

Braj emphasizes Krishna and rasa; Bengal and Odisha emphasize Lakshmi; Maharashtra keeps Kojagari gatherings and milk. Date and moonrise vary by location.

Regional scope

Pan-Indian practice, with regional notes given above

Last reviewed

September 2026

Reviewed by

DharmaPath editorial team, from traditional texts and household practice

Explanations here are written in our own words from traditional sources; timings, muhurta and local custom should be confirmed with your Panchang or family priest.