Kathmandu, October 6: After the worship and night-long vigil dedicated to Goddess Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, the great 15-day long Dashain festival concludes today.

On the full moon day of Ashwin Shukla, known as Kojagrat Purnima, devotees worship Goddess Mahalaxmi in the evening and stay awake throughout the night in her honor, marking the completion of the fifteen-day-long Dashain festival.

According to the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Bikas Samiti, all ritual offerings and sacrifices — collectively known as Akhil Balipurnima — must also be performed today. With this, the traditional period of receiving Tika and Jamara as blessings from elders, which began on Vijaya Dashami, also comes to an end. After completing the Akhil Balipurnima rituals, devotees ceremonially immerse the Jamara in nearby rivers, ponds, or other sacred water ponds this evening.

The Dashain festival, which began on the first day of the bright lunar fortnight of Ashwin (Ashwin Shukla Pratipada), is celebrated across Nepal in various ways according to individual means and customs. It is believed that on the night of Kojagrat Purnima, Goddess Mahalaxmi roams the earth and visits homes where people remain awake in devotion, bestowing wealth and prosperity upon them.

According to Professor Shambhu Prasad Dhakal, chairperson of the committee, the day holds great religious importance as it marks the worship of Mahalaxmi, one of the three principal forms of Goddess Durga. While the Navaratri portion of Dashain concludes on Vijaya Dashami, the broader Durga Paksha formally ends today on the full moon.

This full moon, also known as Kaumudi Purnima, carries special significance as it comes about fifteen days before the Lakshmi Puja of Deepawali. Scriptures also mention that playing traditional games of chance, such as dice or cards, is permitted tonight. Alongside Mahalaxmi, devotees also perform rituals dedicated to Lord Indra, who is depicted as riding an elephant.

During the Rana rule in Nepal, gambling was allowed in public places until the Tihar festival.

People’s News Monitoring Service.