Sharad Purnima, celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month of Ashwina, is one of the most radiant nights of the Hindu year. It marks the seasonal transition from the monsoon into crisp autumn (Sharad Ritu), when the moon is believed to possess all sixteen celestial kalas (aspects) and illuminate the earth with healing, nectar-like radiance.
In Vaishnava tradition, this sacred night commemorates the Maha Raas—the divine cosmic dance of Lord Krishna with the gopis in the groves of Vrindavan, symbolizing the soul's ecstatic communion with the Supreme Divine. In eastern India, the night is celebrated as Kojagari Lokkhi Puja, where Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as she visits homes bestowing wealth upon those who remain awake (ko jagarti).
A beloved cultural ritual involves preparing sweet rice kheer (pudding) and leaving it exposed under the open moonlight throughout the night so it absorbs the moon's healing vibrations, before being consumed as cooling medicinal prasada the next morning.