Traditional foods prepared on Sharad Purnima across India

Today is Sharad Purnima, which is also celebrated as Kojagori Laxmi Puja in the eastern part of the country. On this day Goddess Laxmi is worshipped and it is believed that the deity visits her devotees. This puja is celebrated on the full moon night of the Hindu lunar month of Ashwin, is marked by a variety of traditional foods prepared and shared in homes throughout India. This festival signifies abundance, prosperity, and the divine blessings of the moon and Goddess Laxmi.

Rice Kheer
Rice kheer is the most iconic Sharad Purnima dish, prepared throughout India but especially popular in North India, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal. The slow-cooked rice pudding made with milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron, and nuts is placed under the moonlight overnight to absorb the moon’s cooling rays and consumed the next day as sacred prasad.

Sabudana Kheer
Sabudana kheer, made from sago pearls cooked in milk with flavorings like cardamom and saffron, is commonly made in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and parts of Madhya Pradesh. It is a favored fasting-friendly dessert enjoyed on this auspicious day.

Masala Doodh
Masala doodh, a warm milk drink infused with cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron, is enjoyed in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. This nourishing beverage soothes the body and is part of evening rituals on Sharad Purnima.

Sabudana Khichdi
Sabudana khichdi is a savory dish made with soaked sago, potatoes, peanuts, and mild spices and is widely eaten in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and parts of North India during fasting days, including Sharad Purnima.

Basundi
Basundi, a rich, thickened milk dessert flavored with saffron and nuts, is particularly famous in Maharashtra and Gujarat and is a popular treat on Sharad Purnima festivities.

Doodh Poha
Doodh poha, made by soaking flattened rice in sweetened milk and topped with dry fruits, is commonly prepared in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The dish is enjoyed cold and represents purity and simplicity on this full moon night.

Narkel Naru
In the eastern part of the country, the festival of Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is incomplete without a Narkel er Naru, to make this easy naru recipe at home, heat a pan over medium flame and add 2 cups of grated coconut, keep stirring it till it turns golden in colour. (Make sure you don't over roast the coconut). Transfer it to a plate and to the same pan, add in 1 cup powdered dates jaggery (khejur gur) and once the gur starts melting, add in the coconut and mix it all nicely and add a dash of cardamom and turn off the flame.Grease your palms with ghee or oil and make small balls and serve it as a prasad.