In eastern Odisha, unmarried girls who observe Kumar Purnima believe they will get an ideal life partner. But for girls who live in shelter homes, it is more a day for festivity and fun
Sharad Purnima, the full moon day in the month of October-November, is observed as the birthday of goddess Laxmi, the deity of wealth. The day is also known as Kumar Purnima in the eastern regions of Odisha where young girls perform traditional rituals in the belief that they can get handsome and ideal life partners.
According to mythology, Kumar Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, was born on Sharad Purnima. He was extremely charming and considered as the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom of Gods. Therefore, goes the story, maidens observe this festival aspiring for a husband as handsome as Kartikeya. They dance and have a good time in the beautiful moonlight singing Kuanara Punei Jahnalo Phula Baulabeni, the signature song of the festival.
Sunday POST visited a few childcare homes in the twin cities and asked the inmates and caretakers how the girls there planned to celebrate the occasion to be observed October 23.
Pratap Kumar Pradhan, Secretary of Asha Kiran Childcare Home, said, “Girls here wear new clothes and beautiful make up for the occasion and they go to visit their friends outside. Like in the other festivals, we follow all the rituals during Kumar Purnima. All young girls of the home get new dresses and perform the puja before sunrise. We also celebrate other festivals like Raja, Ganesh Puja, Saraswati Puja, Makar Sankranti, and Pana Sankranti to bring joy in the life of the inmates. Everything is planned in advance so that they do not feel the absence of their family or parents.”
Bharti Reddy, an inmate of Asha Kiran Childcare Home, just enjoys being part of the Kumar Purnima celebration. “I have heard about the legend behind the festival but don’t expect to get a handsome husband. I just enjoy the festival. I eagerly wait for a new dress and the delicacies served to us on this day. Our preparations for the festival begin a day before. The hostel caretakers help us to get all the puja ingredients like ‘khai’, ridge gourd, cucumber, coconut, banana and betel nut. We offer ‘anjuli’ with a handful of ‘khai,’ seven varieties of fruits and vegetables. We fast for the entire day, and in the evening, another puja is performed after the appearance of the moon.”
Another inmate Anasuya Pradhan shared some more details about the Kumar Purnima celebrations at the Home. She said, “The pujas are performed in the morning and evening at the decorated ‘chaura’ (basil plant platform). We clean the place a day before the festival and adorn it with different colours and flowers in the morning. I also enjoy the ‘prasad’ prepared from ‘khai’, fruits, ‘chhena’ (cheese curd) and sugar. We enjoy this festive season as we get to visit Durga Puja and Laxmi Puja pandals in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Dhenkanal and other places. We never feel the absence of a home or family members.”
Inmates of Dibyajyoti Child Care Home, Bhubaneswar celebrate the festival with much fanfare. From Surya Puja (worship of Sun God) in the morning to Chandra puja (worship of moon) in the evening, they try to follow all the rituals with the help of the caretakers and matrons of the Home.
A Class VI student and an inmate of Dibya Jyoti, Laxmi enjoys the fun-filled day, especially as they get a break from studies. “Thanks to our home manager Brija Madam and other caregivers, we get an opportunity to have loads of fun on this day. According to my mother and grandma, a maiden gets a handsome husband if she worships the Sun God and Moon God at their first appearance on the horizon. But for me, it is all about fun and joy. I think only about the new dress, pithas and other delicacies we get that day.”
Another inmate of Dibyajyoti, Alanka Pradhan said, “I love to play ‘puchi’, which is known as the signature game of the festival. We sing the festival song loudly and enjoy the whole day in our own way. I love the evening ‘prasad’ Chanda Chakata prepared from a mix of ingredients like ‘khai,’ fruits, ‘chhena,’ sugar and so on. We also visit Laxmi Puja pandals and enjoy a lot outside.”
Prakash Kumar Tripathy, in-charge of Kasturaba Gandhi National Memorial Child Care Institution, Cuttack said, “We celebrate every Hindu festival here. For Kumar Purnima, young girls residing here follow all the rituals and enjoy the whole day. Every year, we buy dresses for them for Dussehra, Ganesh Puja, and Saraswati puja but not for Kumar Purnima. The girls fast throughout the day. All of them sing, dance and play inside the ashram and enjoy watching the full moon. We never let them feel the absence of family and relatives. They also visit different places in the city during Rathyatra, Durga Puja and Laxmi Puja every year.”
BRATATI BARAL, OP
