ANS: ‘Kojagara’— the traditional Mithilanchal festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm across Bokaro on Friday.
The Kojagara falls on the full moon day in the lunar month of Ashwin, when devotees worship Goddess Laxmi. This festival is also popular as Lakshmi Puja among the Bengali community and is more commonly known as Sharad Purnima in most parts of the eastern states of West Bengal, Odisha and Assam including Mithilanchal in Bihar.
Kojagara Utsav was observed with great fun-fares at Mithila Academy Public School at Sector-4E in Bokaro Steel City. In this sequence, a programme was organized by Mithila Sanskritik Parishad which was inaugurated by lighting lamp by Anil Kumar Chief General Manager Bokaro Steel Plant and the President of the Parishad, Shashi Prakash Jha, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Chas Municipal Corporation, Animesh Kumar Jha and Rajendra Kumar Vice President of the Parishad, Avinash Kumar Jha General Secretary, Shambhu Jha Director (cultural program) and Mithila Mahila Samiti President Anju Jha.
Aiming to keep the youth connected with their rich culture and traditions, Parishad periodically use to organise such events, said Sambhu Jha.
Speaking on the occasion Avinash Kumar Jha said, ‘Kojagara’ festival celebrated with favor across Mithilanchal on the day of Ashwin Purnima. Lakshmi Pujan is essential in every house and people wake up all night long.
“In particular, newly married youth celebrates the festival with great pomp and show,” he added.
“Keeps it intact, highlighting the rich culture and the tradition of Mithila,” Jha urged.
Famous singer Arun Pathak, Akshita Pathak, Naina Pridarshini, Usha Jha, Vishwanath Goswami, Dheeraj Tiwari including others made progrmme memorable with the melodious performances of the artists.
On this occasion, Mithilanchal’s famous Prasad Makhan, paan and sweets were distributed among the visitors.
Besides others, Krishna Nand Jha, Mihir Kumar Jha, Noonu Jha, Baua Jha, Budhinath Jha, Satish Chandra Jha, Harimohan Jha, Shyam Chandra Mishra, Prabhat Kumar Jha, Ravindra Jha, Batohi Kumar, Samarendra Jha, Rambabu Chaudhary, Pradeep Jha, Mihir Jha Raju, Sunil Chaudhary, Neeraj Chaudhary, Govind Kumar Jha, Vijay Kumar Jha, Santosh Kumar Mishra, Avinash Avi, Deepak Jha, Bahuran Jha, Kaushal Kumar Rai, Kali Kant Mishra were present during the celebrations.