The month of Shravan is a month of devotion, spirituality, and observance for many Hindus – marking the celebration of many festivals. One such festival celebrated with great pomp primarily in Maharashtra and Goa is the festival of Narali Poornima/Nariyal Purnima.
This festival, which will fall on August 9 in 2025 often coincides with Raksha Bandhan celebrations. While the rest of India celebrates the divine sibling bond, the fishermen community in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa also celebrate Narali Purnima with great zeal!
Narali Purnima 2025: Significance, Rituals, And More
Significance of Narali Purnima 2025
Narali Purnima is a festival primarily celebrated by the fishermen communities in Maharashtra and Goa – mainly the Koli, Konkani, Malvani, and Goan fishing communities.
Narali Purnima or ‘Narali Poornima’ is made of two words – ‘Narali’ meaning ‘coconuts’ in Marathi and ‘Purnima’ translating to a ‘full moon day’. The festival is celebrated on the Purnima (full moon day) in the month of Shravan, which is how it gets its name.
On this day, fishing communities living by the sea offer coconuts to the Hindu sea god Varun. This signifies a ritualistic offering to the sea god as fishing communities pray for a prosperous fishing season after the turbulent rainy season.
These communities hold the sea in high regard, considering it an important deity in their culture. They believe that the sea holds power to both create and destroy, which is why they pray and offer offerings to please the sea deity.
Narali Purnima is also known by other names like Avani Avittam or Upakramam in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. It is mainly celebrated by the Brahmin communities and is known as ‘Janeyu Purnima’ in other parts of India.
The states of North India like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh also celebrate the festival of ‘Kajri Purnima’ on this day.
What To Do On Narali Purnima: How Is It Celebrated
A few days before the actual festival, men and women repair their fishing nets, paint their boats with new coats, clean their houses, and polish their fishing equipment.
They worship these equipments and boats by offering them flowers and reciting mantras and divine chants as a sign of gratitude and respect.
On the day of the festival, fishing communities make traditional delicacies from coconuts, such as narali wadi (sweet cake-like coconut pudding) and narali bhaat (rice with jaggery and coconut).
On the muhurat timing, fisherfolk come together and offer coconuts to the sea as a sign of respect. It is said that offering coconuts as an offering will keep them safe at sea and guarantee bountiful harvests.
Not just that, but people from these fishing communities deck up and dress in fancy ornaments and clothes and come together for an evening of dance and music, singing traditional folk songs and moving to folk music.
Narali Purnima 2025: Important Dates And Timings
Based on the Hindu calendar and astrological calculations, here are important timings associated with Narali Purnima celebrations in 2025:
- Narali Purnima begins: August 8, 2025 at 2:12 PM
- Narali Purnima ends: August 9, 2025 at 1:24 PM
- Puja Muhurat (auspicious timing for rituals): 7:27 AM to 9:07 AM (morning); 12:26 PM to 2:06 PM
Narali Purnima And Raksha Bandhan: Two Important Hindu Festivals On The Same Day
Often, Narali Purnima and Raksha Bandhan coincide on the same day. While one is about expressing gratitude to the sea, the other festival is about celebrating the divine bond between siblings.
Both festivals are celebrated with great joy, however, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated more widely across India. Narali Purnima is comparatively less known and only celebrated in the fishing communities on the western Konkan coastline.
Summing Up
Narali Purnima is a celebration meant to express gratitude to the sea, the driving force sustaining the livelihoods of many fishing communities.
On this day, these communities come together and engage in vibrant celebrations of food, music, and culture. Coinciding with the more popular Raksha Bandhan celebrations, the festival is also celebrated in other parts of South India.
