VARALAKSHMI VRATHAM |
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Varalakshmi Vratham / Vara Mahalakshmi Vrata is a festival to celebrate the Goddess Lakshmi. Varalakshmi is one who grants boons (“vara”). It is an important pooja performed by many women in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This popular Hindu festival is celebrated on the Second Friday or the Friday before the day of the full moon – in the month of Aadi (Shravana).
Varamahalakshmi Vratham is performed by women for their own well being and that of all their family members. It is believed that worshipping the Goddess varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshipping Ashtalakshmi – the eight goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Wisdom, Love, Fame, Peace, Strength and contentment.
SIGNIFICANCE
Eight forces or energies are recognized and they are known as Siri (Wealth), Bhu (Earth), Saraswathi (Wisdom), Preethi (Love), Keerthi (Fame), Shanthi (peace), Santhushti (Contentment) and Pushti (Strength). Each one of these forces is called a ‘Lakshmi’.
- Aadi Lakshmi (the protector)
- Dhana Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth)
- Dhairya Lakshmi (Goddess of Courage)
- Sowbhagya Lakshmi (Goddess of Prosperity)
- Vijaya Lakshmi (Goddess of Victory)
- Dhanya Lakshmi (Goddess of Nourishment)
- Santaana Lakshmi (Goddess of Progeny)
- Vidhya Lakshmi (Goddess of Wisdom)
All the eight forces combined are called the Ashta Lakshmi’s or the eight Lakshmi’s of the Hindus.
POOJA PROCEDURE
On the Pooja day, fasting starts with Sunrise and ends with the Sunset. Try to wake up very early in the morning, take bath and clean the house. Then, set up a pooja room and install a sacred pot also called as kalasam. This is usually decorated with turmeric powder, kumkum powder and lots of flowers. And mainly, the Varalakshmi devi faces are readily available in all the gold shops, which are brought and fixed in this sacred pot and decorate with new silk saree, jewels, false hairs, etc.,
The varamahalakshmi pooja is usually performed by those women who have inherited the traditional from their mother-in-law. Therefore, it is a custom carried forward from one generation to the other. Those who perform varalakshmi Vratham get the face of the goddess sculpted in the silver from the shop. This is used year after year during the pooja.
Next, place the kalasam on some raw rice spread on a banana leaf. Pooja is done with fresh flowers and rice grains starting with Ganapati pooja and then Varalakshmi pooja. During the pooja, lots of fresh fruits, sweets and neivedhyam are offered in a banana leaf and placed in front of the deity during the pooja. Also the yellow thread with nine knots are placed in the pooja plate. After, arati is performed, the yellow thread is tied to the wrists or wear it of the people who participate in the pooja. This is believed to confer the blessings of Varamahalakshmi and the neivedhyam’s are distributed to the married ladies, children or the invitees.
The married ladies who observing the vratham should partake only the neivedhyam after the fasting. In the evening, a concluding pooja is performed with final arati and then the ladies are allowed to conclude the vratham with food. After that, married ladies are invited to the home and some gifts or kumkum are given to them.
Varamahalakshmi Vratham is one of the most powerful observances since it has been narrated by Lord Shiva himself. Those who observe this vratham shall feel relieved from their sorrows and sufferings and get relieved from financial difficulties. Tranquillity and harmony shall prevail at the home.
Due to the rising popularity of this holy day in some states, it is now being declared as an optional official holiday in India.
If you are a newly married bride or someone who has never performed this Vratham earlier and wanting to perform for the first time, this post is going to help you.
NEIVEDHYAM
