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Margarisha Purnima Gives Us Freedom To Choose Who We Want to Worship

On December 30, 2020, Hindus in India will be observing Margarisha Purnima. This day is celebrated on the full moon day of Margarisha month

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Rudrani Gupta
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On December 30, 2020, Hindus in India will be observing Margarisha Purnima. This day is celebrated on the full moon day of the Margarisha month which lies between November and December. This day is also known as Battisi Purnima or Korala Purnima. Margarisha month is considered the most auspicious month in the Hindu Puranas. It is the month of religious activity, worship and charity.

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How it is celebrated:

On Margarisha Purnima, the devotees observe a day-long fast from the sunrise and consume food only after sighting the moon. They also take bath in the holy river on this day and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu. Bathe in the holy rivers of Haridwar, Banaras and Prayagraj are considered auspicious on this day. Moreover, many devotees conduct Satya Narayan Katha at their homes, worship Lord Vishnu and distribute the prasadam to as many people as possible. The puja of this day includes specific ingredients like a coconut with husk, banana, paan, supari, halsi, dhoop, deep, flowers and Naiveidhya.

Also Read: Festivals Via Feminist Lens: Know The Story And Significance Of Govardhan Puja

The history behind Margarisha Purnima:

Margarisha Purnima is also celebrated as  Dattatreya Jayanti because on this day Lord Dattatreya, an incarnation of the holy trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), was born. Moreover, it is also believed that on this day of Margarisha Purnima, moon received the elixir (Amrit) extracted during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan) conducted by the Devas and Asuras. According to the legend, the Moon God appeared as one of the valuable things while the churning of the ocean. Then Lord Vishnu disguised himself as Mohini to distract the asuras and not let them consume the elixir because if they did, they would have destroyed the universe. However, one of the asuras disguised himself as God and sat between Sun God and Moon God to receive the elixir. As soon as the gods got to know about the trick, Lord Vishnu beheaded the asura but failed to stop him from consuming the elixir. Since then, the asura is alive, the head part of the asura is called Rahu and the body part is called Ketu.

What is interesting about this day is that the devotees are free to choose the God or Ishta Devta they want to worship.

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Watching from a feminist lens:

It is interesting that devotees have the freedom to choose the god they want to worship. This is what I find unique in Hindu religion that devotees have the liberty to interpret the holy power as different faces, genders and powers. Religion should not be about dictating the terms and setting up one superior power that everyone should follow. It is a way of life that allows a person to build his or her belief according to personal choice and definition of life.

Also Read: Chhat Puja: A Festival That Connects Devotees With The Nature

festivals of India Margarisha month Margarisha Purnima
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