Thejus

Annapoorani

In Sanskrit 'Anna' means food and 'purna' means complete; together the term Annapurna signifies nourishing with food to the fullest. The Devi Annapurna is the goddess of food and harvest and is believed to be the one who fills the stomachs of the hungry with her noble powers. In Hindu belief she is the one endowed with the powers to supply food in a limitless form. She is the divine symbol of nourish and care she provides to her children. In common parlance at Hindu households if people waste food, it is said that they in turn make Annapurna Devi angry. The idol of goddess Annapurna devi is always shown with a bowl which is always filled with grain, representing the bountiful of food she has to offer to her children

The origin of Goddess Annapurna is related to the mythological tale of Lord Brahma and Vishnu being worried about the extinction of food from earth resulting in perishing of many human beings. These gods pleaded to Lord Shiva who invited the goddess Annapurna to earth and begged for food from her. Lord Shiva distributed the food received from the Devi and since then promised her that she should continue to nourish the people of earth and in turn he would give moksha to the people of Kasi where the goddess resides.