City celebrates Kumar Purnima, Lakshmi Puja

Bhubaneswar: Kumar Purnima was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety across the city on Thursday.

Unmarried and newly married girls wore new clothes, took bath before sunrise and worshiped Lord Kartikeya for an ideal husband. In the evening, they offered prasad to Moon God.

“I fast on Kumar Purnima. Seven types of fruits and seven varieties of flowers are offered to Sun and Moon God. Traditional cakes (peetha) are prepared on the occasion. I enjoy the day with my friends by playing Puchi Khela, the traditional game associated with the festival,” said Isha, a student.

As the day is also observed as the birthday of Lakshmi, hundreds of devotees thronged various puja pandals in the evening to pay obeisance to the goddess of wealth.

A number of small and big pandals have been erected by various committees at several places, including Ashok Nagar, Saheed Nagar, Unit-4, Bapuji Nagar and Master Canteen Square, in the city. Cultural events are also being organised at these pandals.

On the occasion of Gajalaxmi Puja, Jai Odisha and Gajalaxmi Sanskritika Sangha Unit-3 launched an initiative to promote the concept of saving among children. “Under this initiative, our volunteers will distribute over 1,000 piggy banks. These will be available at the puja mandap till October 15,” said Rudra Narayan Samantaray, Chief Advisor of Gajalaxmi Sanskritika Sangha and President of Jai Odisha.