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.

Lakshmi Puja (Kojagari)

Bengali

the "who is awake?" night

Next date

25 October 2026

Sunday · Shukla Purnima

Tithi begins11:56 AM

Tithi ends09:41 AM · 26 Oct

Full panchang for this day

About

Kojagari Lakshmi Puja on Sharad Purnima, worship of Goddess Lakshmi on the full-moon night.

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

Oct25SunSundayNextShukla PurnimaTithi begins11:56 AMTithi ends09:41 AM · 26 Oct

2027

Oct14ThuThursdayShukla PurnimaTithi begins06:49 PMTithi ends07:17 PM · 15 Oct