Kojagrat festival being celebrated in Mithila

The Kojagrat Purnima, also known as the festival of betel and butter, is being celebrated in Mithila on Friday.

The Kojagrat festival is also called the festival of Pan-Makhan as it is worshiped with ingredients such as betel, butter and sweets. 

On the full moon day of Kojagrat, special worship is performed at the Janaki temple in Janakpur. In previous years, visitors to the Janaki temple from different parts of Nepal and India used to come to the Kojagrat festival, but this year it has not been very crowded due to the Corona epidemic. 

On this occasion, it is customary to send special gifts to the Janaki temple from Ratauli in Mahottari. In Mithila culture, Pahur is sent from Ratauli village of Mahottari according to the tradition of sending Koseli to the daughter's in-laws in various festivals and celebrations. 

One hundred and one loads (pahur) with various materials as gifts from Ratauli have been coming to Janaki temple for years. 

Koseli has a variety of sweets, fruits, yogurt, clothes and other ingredients. 

On the occasion of Kojagrat Purnima, in the evening, there is a tradition of worshiping the Lord outside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, said Mahanta Ram Roshan Das, the successor of the Janaki temple. 

Hindus worship God with betel, butter and sweets in their homes on the day of Kojagrat Purnima. 

Especially in Maithil Brahmin, Kayastha and other castes, there is a tradition of sending load (pahur) with betel, butter, sweets and other items from the mother-in-law's house. 

There is a myth that betel nut, which is not found even in heaven, is found only in Mithila. While Lord Rama's mother-in-law was in Janakpur, the Kojagrat full moon is considered to be of special importance in this region with the belief that people ate betel and butter on the full moon day. 

On the occasion of Kojagrat, Chief Minister of Province 2 Lal Babu Raut has expressed his best wishes to the people of the province.