Why is milk left out in the moonlight on Kojagari?

The moon on Sharad Purnima is held to be at its most complete and its light to have a nectar-like quality, so milk is left out under it and drunk late at night. It's also the night Lakshmi is said to move about asking "who is awake?", rewarding those keeping vigil. In Bengal this, not Diwali, is the main Lakshmi Puja.

Kojagari Lakshmi Puja (Sharad Purnima)

Marathi · Gujarati

कोजागरी लक्ष्मी पूजा (शरद पूर्णिमा) · કોજાગરી-લક્ષ્મી-પૂજા (શરદ-પૂર્ણિમા)

Next date

26 October 2026

Monday · Shukla Purnima

Tithi begins11:56 AM · 25 Oct

Tithi ends09:41 AM

Full panchang for this day

About

Maharashtra tradition: Goddess Lakshmi descends on Sharad Purnima night. Rice kheer offered under moonlight.

Falls on: Ashwin Purnima, Sharad Purnima

What it is

Ko jagarti, "who is awake?", is the question Lakshmi is said to ask as she moves over the earth on this night, giving wealth to whoever she finds keeping vigil. In Maharashtra the eldest child is honoured and moonlit milk is drunk; in Bengal this is the principal Lakshmi Puja of the year, more important than the Diwali one.

Food

Masala doodh left in the moonlight; in Bengal, narkel naru and khichuri.

Common questions

Why is milk left out in the moonlight on Kojagari?: The moon on Sharad Purnima is held to be at its most complete and its light to have a nectar-like quality, so milk is left out under it and drunk late at night. It's also the night Lakshmi is said to move about asking "who is awake?", rewarding those keeping vigil. In Bengal this, not Diwali, is the main Lakshmi Puja.

2026

Oct26MonMondayNextShukla PurnimaTithi begins11:56 AM · 25 OctTithi ends09:41 AM

2027

Oct15FriFridayShukla PurnimaTithi begins06:49 PM · 14 OctTithi ends07:17 PM