• Thursday 18th Aug 2016

Shravana Purnima

In modern India, Gayatri Jayanti day during Shravana Purnima is observed as Sanskrit Diwas, a day to mark the importance of Sanskrit language. Various activities, seminars and workshops are organized on the day of Sanskrit Diwas to promote the Vedic language. In current time, the usage of Sanskrit has been limited to only Puja-Patha and academic activities.

Shravana Purnima is popularly known as Nariyal Purnima in Maharashtra, especially at coastal Maharashtra and Konkani region.

On Nariyal Purnima, people worship God Varun and especially offer Nariyal to the God of sea. It is believed that the Puja offered to sea on the auspicious day of Shravana Purnima appease the God and it protects fisher-men from all sorts of untoward incidents.

Maharashtrian Brahmins, who perform ritualistic Shravani Upakarma on this day, observe Phalahar fasting on the day and eat only Nariyal i.e. the coconut during the fast. Hence, in Konkan and coastal Maharashtra the day of Shravana Purnima is popularly known as Nariyal Purnima.

People also plant tree on the day of Nariyal Purnima to show their respect and gratitude towards the nature. Nariyal Purnima is also pronounced as Narali Purnima (नारळी पूर्णिमा) and spelled as Nariyali Purnima (नारियली पूर्णिमा).