COVID-19 pandemic fails to dampen Kumar Purnima festivity in Odisha

Bhubaneswar:  Although Odisha Government has been imposing restrictions on celebration of various festivals in the state this year due to COVID-19,  the pandemic has failed to dampen Kumara Purnima festivity today.

As Kumar Purnima is celebrated indoor without any mass gathering , the state government has not issued any guidelines for it. With fasts and various rituals, young girls and women in the state are celebrating the festival as usual with pomp and gaiety.

Wearing new clothes,  girls and unmarried women performed the traditional rituals in their respective houses in wee hours today. They will worship the full moon later this evening.

Kumara Purnima is also known as Sharad Purnima. It is a harvest festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month. The festival marks the end of monsoon season and beginning of the month of Kartika.  In Odisha, goddess Lakshmi is worshipped on this day for wealth and prosperity. Maidens observe fast and pray for getting suitable grooms.

Apart from worshipping the sun and the moon gods, other highlights about this festival are the signature Kumara Purnima game ‘Puchi Khela’, the delicious ‘Chanda Chataka’ and the Kumar Utsav.