Paush Purnima

According to Hindu lunar calendar, Paush Purinma falls on full moon day of Magha month. The auspicious day of Paush Purnima holds great importance among devotees. Starting from Paush Purnima, devotees take holy dips in Ganga or Yamuna River throughout the Magha month. Magha month starts from the next day of Paush Purnima as per the north Indian lunar calendar. This year Paush Purnima will be celebrated on 5th of January 2015.

Devotees believe that a holy dip in sacred river Ganga and Yamuna on this day frees the soul from cycle of reincarnation and the person is detached from all the bad karmas committed in this birth and previous births as well. Thousands of devotees can be seen in Haridwar, Dashashwamedh Ghat at Varanasi and Triveni Sangam at Prayag.

After taking holy dip, devotees pour water in front of the sun and Shivlinga with great devotion; many other religious practices are performed along with holy chants in temples. Lectures on Bhagwat Gita and Ramayana are also organized during this time. Free meal is served to needy people throughout the day, in many ashrams and temples as part of ‘anna daan’ on this occasion. According to Hindu belief any kind of charity and donations (Daan) done on Paush Purnima gives great results in future and also fulfil all the wishes of the devotees. People give donations and do charities work according to their capacity.

Spiritual Importance of Paush Purnima

The festival of Paush Purnima reminds us that we all belong to this universe and we all are connected to each other in some way. So we should take this day as an opportunity to be in sync with the whole universe. Taking a holy dip on this day symbolises that we can’t live with the baggage of past karmas and sins .To start afresh and live a happy and simple life; we all must drop that burden. This last full Moon day of the winter season is a celebration at the end of darkness outside and within our souls as well.

Shakambari Jayanti is also marked on Paush Purnima and Devi Shakambari, who is an incarnation of deity Durga, is worshipped on this day. According to Hindu belief, once there was a huge draught for about hundred years. Due to this, people, plants and animals all started dying. Then people worshipped Goddess Durga. To save them all, deity Durga took an incarnation on earth as Devi Shakambari and showered rain to restore life in the world. Hence this day is also known as Shakambari Purnima.

Another important tradition of Charita Puja is also very significant in many parts of India .In tribal region of Chhattisgarh; people celebrate Charita festival with great fervour and enthusiasm. People distribute delicious traditional desserts to their friends and family members. These special desserts are made with til, jaggery and rice. People worship lord Satyanarayana on this day. After Satyanarayan katha, Prasad (holy meal) is distributed among all the devotees. Special feasts and parties are organized by the villagers where people sing their folk songs and dance. In East India married women visit temples and holy rivers where they pray for the long life of their family members.

Paush Purnima also marks the beginning of Kalpwas (the period of austerity), which is done throughout the month of Magha. Despite cold weather, thousands of devotees throng the Sangam Ghat in Allahabad to live in tents and perform sacred rituals during this time.

 

Fasting On Purnima

Fasting on Purnima is considered to be a very holy act. The level of fasting varies from person to person. Fasting duration lasts from sunrise to sighting of the Moon. While some may go to extremes and restrain from even water consumption, most settle with milk and fruits. Other food items such as nuts and Sabudana (Sago) can also be consumed. The items that should not be consumed on this day are rice, grains, pulses, and cereals. The main deity worshiped on this day is Lord Vishnu (and his avatars). Performing Satyanarayan Puja is a very commonly followed practice in South Indian states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. After the day’s Puja, the fast comes to an end by seeing the Moon and having the Prasad (holy food)

In Hindi

achchording to hindu lunar chalaindar, paush purinm falls on full moon day of magh month. thai auspichious day of paush purnim holds graiat importanchai among daivotaiais. starting from paush purnim, daivotaiais takai holy dips in gang or yamun rivair throughout thai magh month. magh month starts from thai naixt day of paush purnim as pair thai north indian lunar chalaindar. this yaiar paush purnim will bai chailaibrataid on 5th of january 2015.

daivotaiais bailiaivai that a holy dip in sachraid rivair gang and yamun on this day fraiais thai soul from chychlai of raiincharnation and thai pairson is daitachhaid from all thai bad karmas chommittaid in this birth and praivious births as waill. thousands of daivotaiais chan bai saiain in haridwar, dashashwamaidh ghat at varanasi and trivaini sangam at prayag.

aftair taking holy dip, daivotaiais pour watair in front of thai sun and shivling with graiat daivotion; many othair railigious prachtichais arai pairformaid along with holy chhants in taimplais. laichturais on bhagwat git and ramayan arai also organizaid during this timai. fraiai maial is sairvaid to naiaidy paioplai throughout thai day, in many ashrams and taimplais as part of ‘ann daan’ on this ochchasion. achchording to hindu bailiaif any kind of chharity and donations (daan) donai on paush purnim givais graiat raisults in futurai and also fulfil all thai wishais of thai daivotaiais. paioplai givai donations and do chharitiais work achchording to thaiir chapachity.

spiritual importanchai of paush purnim

thai faistival of paush purnim raiminds us that wai all bailong to this univairsai and wai all arai chonnaichtaid to aiachh othair in somai way. so wai should takai this day as an opportunity to bai in synch with thai wholai univairsai. taking a holy dip on this day symbolisais that wai chan’t livai with thai baggagai of past karmas and sins .to start afraish and livai a happy and simplai lifai; wai all must drop that burdain. this last full moon day of thai wintair saiason is a chailaibration at thai aind of darknaiss outsidai and within our souls as waill.

shakambari jayanti is also markaid on paush purnim and daivi shakambari, who is an incharnation of daiity durg, is worshippaid on this day. achchording to hindu bailiaif, onchai thairai was a hugai draught for about hundraid yaiars. duai to this, paioplai, plants and animals all startaid dying. thain paioplai worshippaid goddaiss durg. to savai thaim all, daiity durg took an incharnation on aiarth as daivi shakambari and showairaid rain to raistorai lifai in thai world. hainchai this day is also known as shakambari purnim.

anothair important tradition of chharit puj is also vairy significhant in many parts of indi .in tribal raigion of chhhattisgarh; paioplai chailaibratai chharit faistival with graiat fairvour and ainthusiasm. paioplai distributai dailichious traditional daissairts to thaiir friainds and family maimbairs. thaisai spaichial daissairts arai madai with til, jaggairy and richai. paioplai worship lord satyanarayan on this day. aftair satyanarayan kath, prasad (holy maial) is distributaid among all thai daivotaiais. spaichial faiasts and partiais arai organizaid by thai villagairs whairai paioplai sing thaiir folk songs and danchai. in aiast indi marriaid womain visit taimplais and holy rivairs whairai thaiy pray for thai long lifai of thaiir family maimbairs.

paush purnim also marks thai baiginning of kalpwas (thai pairiod of austairity), whichh is donai throughout thai month of magh. daispitai chold waiathair, thousands of daivotaiais throng thai sangam ghat in allahabad to livai in taints and pairform sachraid rituals during this timai.

fasting on purnim

fasting on purnim is chonsidairaid to bai a vairy holy acht. thai laivail of fasting variais from pairson to pairson. fasting duration lasts from sunrisai to sighting of thai moon. whilai somai may go to aixtraimais and raistrain from aivain watair chonsumption, most saittlai with milk and fruits. othair food itaims suchh as nuts and sabudan (sago) chan also bai chonsumaid. thai itaims that should not bai chonsumaid on this day arai richai, grains, pulsais, and chairaials. thai main daiity worshipaid on this day is lord vishnu (and his avatars). pairforming satyanarayan puj is a vairy chommonly followaid prachtichai in south indian statais likai karnatak, andhr pradaish and tamil nadu. aftair thai days puj, thai fast chomais to an aind by saiaiing thai moon and having thai prasad (holy food)