The state of Maharashtra is flanked by the azure stretch of the Arabian Sea. A substantial portion of the population of the state depends on the sea for a livelihood. Many fishermen go out to the sea regularly to earn their living. In addition to this, the Hindus look upon the sea as the purest among all bodies of water. In fact their reverence for the sea goes to the extent of regarding it as a symbol of all places of pilgrimage. So on this particular day they express their gratitude and pay their respect to the sea.

Time for celebrating the Narali Purnima Festival :

Narali Purnima Festival is celebrated each year on the full moon day of the month of Shravan. It corresponds to the month of August in the Gregorian calendar.

Description of the Narali Purnima in Maharashtra:

Of all the Fairs and Festivals in Maharashtra, this is one such festival where the greater share of fervor and enthusiasm is shown by the people belonging to the coastline. It is believed that Varuna or the sea god protects the sailors from any kind of impending doom. The people religiously offer their prayers to him so that he continues doing such favors. The prime offering constitutes coconuts. It is popularly known as Shirpal or the divine fruit. This fruit is believed to be full of symbolism. It has food and drink, both of which are required for human nourishment. Apart from that, it has a hard covering which is indicative of the fact that nothing can be obtained easily; any fruit can only be enjoyed only after persistent efforts.

The timing of the festival coincides with the ending of the monsoons. This marks the beginning of a new fishing season. That is why the fishermen all the more pray to Varuna and seek his blessings before starting anew. On the occasion of the celebration of this festival, they decorate their boats beautifully before setting out in them for the ocean. They strongly believe that everything will go on smoothly only if Varuna is pleased with them and so they devoutly offer their prayers.

Part of the celebrations includes preparing a sweet dish with rice and coconut. It is later shared and distributed amongst friends, relatives and acquaintances and eaten by the all as Prasad. To conclude, we can say that Narali Purnima is celebrated with much mirth and ardor.

Raksha Bandhan:

This is also celebrated as raksha bandhan which denotes the love and respect between brother and sister.

The brother pledges to protect the sister in every birth. To symbolize this he allows her to tie a string on his wrist. The sister complies so that he keeps his promise. Since the historical ages this custom is prevalent to keep a brother and sister in a relationship. The rakhi is a symbol of the purity of a relationship between a sister and brother.

Just as the brother is bound by a promise to protect the sister after getting a string tied onto his wrist, so also the sister prays to God for his protection.

Brother gives a gift as a token of affection and promise to protect his sister .

How to perform Raksha bandhan?

1. Take kumkum, Akshata, coconut , and Rakhi String[ you can make one or buy it from local grocery store] and a sweet in a plate[ thali]

2. Now apply a tilak with kumkum on your brother's forehead , now sprinkle akshata on his head. Now take rakhi and tie on your brother's right wrist.

3. Offer him coconut

4. Now feed him sweets.

5. Brother supposed to give his sister a gift as token of affection.

Shravani

‘If on the full moon day of Shravan, the lunar asterism Shravan is present, one has to perform this Vedic ritual. Shravani is a ritual in which one resumes learning and teaching after a long vacation. It is also referred to as Upakarma, Upakaran, etc. If the Shravan lunar asterism appears on the full moon day of Shravan then those following the Rugveda should perform a ritual on that day or on Nagpanchami for the Hasta lunar asterism, those following the Yajurveda on that day itself, followers of the Samaveda on the full moon day of Bhadrapad of the Hasta lunar asterism and the Atharvaveda followers on the full moon day of Shravan or Bhadrapad. Though this custom is very ancient and appropriate for the three classes (varnas) yet it is currently followed only by the Brahmans to a certain extent. Followers of the various Vedas should celebrate Shravani according to their household norms. Usually this ritual is performed jointly, in a group.’

नागपंचमीनंतर श्रावण महिन्यात येणारा हा दुसरा महत्त्वाचा सण आहे. श्रावणी पौर्णिमेलाच नारळी पौर्णिमा असेही म्हणतात.

वरुणदेवतेची कृपा आपल्यावर आणि आपल्या कुटुंबियांवर सदैव रहावी, यासाठी समुद्रकिनारी रहाणारे आणि समुद्राच्या माध्यमातून आपला चरितार्थ चालवणारे श्रावण पौर्णिमेच्या दिवशी वरुणदेवतेची पूजा करून समुद्राला नारळ अर्पण करतात. ही पूजा करण्यामागील शास्त्र या लेखाच्या माध्यमातून स्पष्ट केले आहे.

समुद्राचे पूजन

श्रावण पौर्णिमेला समुद्रकिनारी रहाणारे लोक वरुणदेवतेप्रीत्यर्थ समुद्राची पूजा करून त्याला नारळ अर्पण करतात. या दिवशी अर्पण करावयाचे नारळ हे फळ शुभसूचक आहे, तसेच ते सर्जनशक्तीचेही प्रतीक मानलेले आहे. नदीपेक्षा संगम आणि संगमापेक्षा सागर जास्त पवित्र आहे. ‘सागरे सर्व तीर्थानि’ असे वचन आहे. सागराची पूजा म्हणजेच वरुणदेवतेची पूजा. जहाजांनी मालाची वाहतूक करतांना वरुणदेव प्रसन्न असल्यास तो साहाय्य करतो.

आज च्या दिवशी नारळी भात करायची पद्धत आहे . रेसिपी कल्चर डेस्क वर आहे .

रक्षा बंधन :

हाच दिवस राखीपौर्णिमा म्हणून साजरा केला जातो. या दिवशी बहिणी आपल्या भावाला राखी बांधतात. भावाने आपले रक्षण करावे असा या राखी बांधण्यामध्ये हेतू असतो. व्रतबंध झालेले ब्राह्मण लोक या दिवशी नवीन यज्ञोपवीत धारण करतात. याच दिवशी लोक श्रावणी करतात. या दिवशीचे मुख्य पक्वान्न म्हणजे नारळीभात. तसेच नारळाच्या/ खोब-याच्या वडया, नारळाची बर्फी, नारळाच्या करंज्या वगैरे पदार्थ करून हा सण साजरा करतात.