Notes: All timings are represented in 12-hour notation in local time of San Diego, United States with DST adjustment (if applicable).
Hours which are past midnight are suffixed with next day date. In Panchang day starts and ends with sunrise.
Kojagara Vrat is one of the major festivals celebrated in West Bengal, Odisha and Assam. A special worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed on this day. In this fast, there is a tradition of keeping vigil (Jagarana) at night. According to the Kojagara Vrat Story, Goddess Lakshmi visits the world on the night of Ashwin Purnima and She bestows wealth and prosperity on those devotees who are awakened on this night.
Due to keeping Jagarana during the night, this fast is known as Kojagara Vrat. This fast is observed on the day of Ashwin Purnima. This fast is also known by the names Kojagari Puja, Bengali Lakshmi Puja etc. The full moon of Ashwin month is also called Kaumudi. Hence, one name of this fast is also Kaumudi Vrat. According to Skandapuran, Kojagara Vrat is the best fast, by observing which even an ordinary being attains the highest position and gets opulence, health and children in this birth and in other births also.
The day when Purnima is Nishithvyapini, that day is considered best for Kojagara puja.
Kojagara Puja Purnima is more famously known as Sharad Purnima in most parts of India. However, most people in India worship Goddess Lakshmi on Amavasya Tithi during Diwali.
Kojagara Puja Mahatamya is described by Valakhilya Rishi -
The disciples of sage Valakhilya asked, describe the Upangvratas of Kartik, by observing which fast of Kartika gets completed. Valakhilya said that, on the Shuklapaksha Purnima of Ashwin month, one should worship Lakshmi Ji with devotion at night. On this day, Goddess Lakshmi is pleased by drinking coconut water and playing the game of Chausar. On the night of Kojagara Puja, Goddess Lakshmi comes to visit the earth to give boons to the devotees who are doing Jagrana. All the devotees who are surrounded by poverty must observe this fast because a poor Brahmin named Valit also became very rich by observing this fast.
The sages asked, who was Valit and where did he get the money from? Please describe this story in detail.
A Brahmin named Valit lived in the country of Magadha. Although he was rich in much knowledge and used to perform Sandhya Snana daily, but financially he was very poor. If someone came to donate something to him at home, he would accept it, otherwise he would not go to ask for anything from anyone.
To read in detail, please click on Kojagara Vrat Katha.