Kumar Purnima festival

The Kumar Purnima festival of Orissa is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Aswina.

In some parts of the state, girls fast all day and eat after doing puja to the Moon. The custom says that praying to the Moon gets you as handsome a husband as the Moon. Most girls wait for an early glimpse of the moon and the earlier you do the puja the younger and handsomer the husband.

My mother-in-law reminds me every year to do this puja for my daughter. While my Mom was not so stringent about it and I didn't really do it most years (well it helped to be away in hostel too), I try doing it for my daughter. So no fasting for her, just the puja.... Hmmm I didn't even get to do it early enough - but atleast these are my attempts at teaching her some of our customs.

The bhoga is usually done with Paneer and banana mashed together and made into balls. I added some honey and crushed cardamom powder...

Happy Purnima everyone!