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Poornima

The day of Poornima or Hunnime or Pournime is the day (Tithi) in each month when the full moon occurs, and marks the division in each month between the two lunar fortnights (paksha), and the Moon is aligned exactly in a straight line, called a syzygy, with the Sun and Earth. Full moon is considered the third of the four primary phases of the Moon. The full moon shows 100% illumination, causes high tides, and can concur with lunar eclipses.

Festivals

The following festivals occur on Poornima:

Kartika Poornima, is celebrated on the full moon day of Kartika. It is also called Tripura Poornima in some regions.

Shravana Poornima, is the full moon day in Shravana. This day has a number of different names. Hayagriva Jayanti is also celebrated on Shravana Poornima. It is also known as Narali Poornima.

Vata Poornima is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Jyeshta. Women pray for their husbands by tying threads around a banyan tree (Vata Vriksha) on this day. It honors Savitri, the legendary wife of Satyavan who escaped death for her husband's life. It is the chosen day for worshipping Yama deva.

Guru Poornima, devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru, on the full moon day of Ashada. This is well known as Vyasa Poornima after the birthday of the celebrated author of Mahabharata who is declared as the guru of all in the Shiva Purana.

Sharad Poornima or Kojagiri Poornima, the Autumn Harvest Festival, on the full moon day of Ashwayuja.

Buddha Poornima, the day of birth, enlightenment and passing away of Gautama Buddha, on the full moon day of Vaishakha. Kurma Jayanti is also celebrated on the day.

Holi/Phalguna Poornima, the Spring Festival of Colours in Hinduism/Buddhism/Jainism, the full moon day in Phalguna.

Dattatreya Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Margashira.

Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon of the lunar month Chaitra. However, this is celebrated on different days in different states. While Orissa celebrates this as Vaishakha Sankranti, Andhra Pradesh celebrates Vaishakha shukla paksha dashami, Kerala celebrates it in a previous month Margashira Amavasya coinciding with Mula Nakshatra. Chaitra Poornima is the chosen day for donation of rice to please Chandra Deva, Moon god.

Shakambari Poornima is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Pushya.

Madhu Poornima is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Bhadrapada. On this day Uma Maheswara Vrata as well as Shakra Vrata where Indra is worshiped for children and well-being.

Satyanarayan Puja vrata is observed on all full moon days. Many people prefer to worship God Satyanarayana (Vishnu) Vrata on this day in Karnataka.