Kojagiri Poornima or the Full Moon day in Ashwin month is celebrated as Kojagiri Purnima in Maharashtra. It marks the ending of rainy season and the sky gives its way to the Sun. Kojagiri is the festival to welcome brightness in our lives. Kojagiri Purnima is also called as Sharad Purnima. In Maharashtra we observe Kojagiri as Kojagiri Laxmi Puja. We stay awake throughout the night and spend time in singing bhajans and reciting stotras of the Goddess. Devotees believe that Goddess Lakshmi keeps moving from place to place asking ‘Kojagarti’ (who is awake?). The Goddess blesses those whom she finds awake. Devotees observe fast during Kojagiri and takes only liquids or fluids like water, milk and fruit juices. Kojagiri Lakshmi Puja is a big event at Kolhapur Mahalaxmi temple. We celebrate our Kojagiri with playing “Antakshari” or some other cultural program. Main attraction of Kojagiri is “Masala Dudh”. We make this Dudh by adding dry fruits and some other masale. It tastes yumm. After preparing it, may be around 12’o clock in the night, we keep the vessel on terrace exactly under moon. So that we can see reflection of full moon in It. that we serve the ‘Masala Dudh to everybody”. And most good thing is that, eldest child of the family is also honored on this day. So before marriage my Aai used to do aarti of mine (As I am the elder daughter) on this day.

Ingredients
Milk – 1 liter
Sugar – 1/2 cup (or according to your taste)
Cardamom power – 1 tablespoon
Nutmeg powder – 1 tablespoon
Almonds – 1 cup
Pista – 1cup
Charoli (chironji) – 1 tablespoon
saffron threads – 1 teaspoon

Procedure
Take a kadai roast almond and pistas little. Now mix almond, pista, saffron, cardmom powder and nutmeg powder together. Grind to a powder. Now in a thick vessel boil milk on very low flame. Boil it for some time, stirring continuously. Milk should reduce a little. Then add sugar. When sugar dissolves completely add grinded powder. Mix wel. Now add charoli. Remove from the flame. See the reflection of full moon in Masala dudh. Have a glass of masala dudh with garmagaram batata vada 🙂