Kumar Purnima

This story narrates where young girls in the eastern part of India, ie in Orissa pray the God Karthikeya , the second son of Siva the Hindu God of Destruction for blessing them to get Handsome Husbands. This day also starts puja of Goddess "Gaja Laxshmi" the goddess of wealth which is celebrated .

Kumari's Puja
Kumari (Young unmarried Girl) performs puja and prays lord Karthikeya for granting them handsome husband as handsome young God himself. This puja (festival) is celebrated in the month of Kanya that is Aswina punima the full moon night. Whole day these girls remain in fast without having any to eat , as the day comes to end in the evening ,all these girls take once again bath wear new dress and performs puja in the front of Tulsi plant with White Lily flowers and Khoi (Fried rice) in hand and offer anjali(folded hands) seven times seeing the full moon. And after the puja is finished these girls break their fast and have food. Food is very specially prepared with sweet rice called kanika and seven different sweets including payas . Fresh vegetables are cooked with fresh ghee (milk product) and taken and sing songs and dance in merriment.

Lakshmi Puja
This day also mark the starting of Gaja Lakshmi Puja (goddess of wealth) which comes after Durga puja. This day big pandals are erected in which goddess is made from clay and dressed beautifully in saree , jewels are worn by her and she is worshiped with full of devotion and in traditional way by pundits . This lasts for seven days .Pandals are beautifully decorated and then lighted with different lights. Not only pandals are decorated, but adjacent road are also decorated with lights. Games for children are also opened, food stalls are placed and evening time entertainment is given. Entertainment could be orchestra, films show on screen in open air. This way local people enjoy lakshmi puja. Whole locality turns in to festive mood for seven days and end of seventh days deity lakshmi is immersed in water in full traditional way. This puja is famous in Dhenakanal area of Orissa.

Gambling
In some districts of Orissa people play gambling for seven days, which in this time is not considered illegal. People sit in houses, in the public places, under trees in villages, in public halls and play gambling. Their bet are kept low because it is played for fun and frolic.

Karvachaut
In north India teenage girls and married women observe Karvachaut . In karvachaut unlike Kumar purnima teenage girls whose marriage is fixed and married women keep fast for the whole day. They eat sargi (cooked rice kept in water from the pervious day) in the early morning and then fast for the whole day and in the evening they see moon and their husband by married women and lover by young girls through sieve and break their fast after taking water . The first piece of meal is given by their husband or lover. Karvachaut is celebrated on the fourth day after the full moon (Purnima) they pray to god for the long life of their husband. These ladies wear red sarees, jewellery, get done mehandi in their hands. Prepare rice, puries and make payas a sweet which they eat in the evening .

Atla-thadiya
Atlahadiya is performed in south India, where married women eat Chaldannamu (Cooked rice kept in water one day before) with it they also have Gongura Pachadi( a chattni prepared by Gongura leaves a typical Telugu dish) in the very early morning and then fast for whole day. They pray god in the evening after taking bath wear Pattu saree. They pray to god for the long life of their husbands. They prepare atlu (Dosa) ,coconut chatni and timmanam ( a sweet dish made of paluva or rice finely grinded cooked in milk, adding sugar, elaichi powder steering well till it is cooked) . They call neighbours and serve them with these dosa(atulu) and this way spread love, togetherness and communal harmony.

So India may have different languages, religions, different sub selects. But their customs are same, whether east, north or south. Their tradition is same, their feelings towards their beloved ones or husbands are same. One great saint said all roads leads to one Goal. Therefore India is a very unique country & it is righty said about India as the country of Unity in diversity. This uniqueness should always be protected.