Monday, August 27, 2007

Varalakshmi Vratham

Varalakshmi Vratham is a popular ritual observed by married women in South India and Maharashtra. Goddess Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity – is worshipped on this day. In 2007, Varalakshmi Puja is on August 24. According to Hindu mythology, once Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva about a vratha that will be beneficial to women. Lord Shiva then mentioned the importance of Varalakshmi Vratha. The conversation on Varalakshmi Vratham between Parvati and Shiva takes place in the Skanda Purana. The Hindu mythological story about this vratham you can find it here.

Varalakshmi literally means the boon granting goddess. Worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshipping Ashtalaksmi – the eight goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Learning, Love, Fame, Peace, Pleasure, and Strength. It comes in the holy month of Shravan on the first friday before the full moon (Pournami/ Poonam).

We generally buy something in gold and offer to the Goddess Lakshmi. We do Alankaranam with all the jewelery and offer saree, prasadam/ naivedyam, differnet varieties of fruits and Thamboolam – betel leaf, areca nut, flowers, pair of banana/any fruit, turmeric, kumkum, coin, khajoor – is offered to women in the locality and in the evening an arati is offered. To know more about this puja you can find it on telugu bhakti and carnatica and for step by step puja vidhanam click here.

I thought of sharing few snaps of the puja performed at my home, since this puja was followed by weekend and one of our friend visited us, I was not able to post it on 24th August. I made 5 varieties of naivedyam, offered 7 kinds of fruits including coconut and bananas.

Kalasham Puja


performing puja on the silver mahalakshmi coins
can you also see the pasupu ganapathi!


5 varieties of Prasadam/naivedyam offered to the Goddess Varalakshmi
(Pulihora, payasam, halwa, garelu (vada) and chana)




Saree and 5 varieties of fruits, apples, plums, nectarines, grapes, and oranges
being offered to the Goddess




My Puja(worship) corner/room


Thamboolam
at

36 comments:

  1. SajuAugust 27, 2007 at 4:55 PM

    Thanks for sharing your puja with us. The pictures are beautiful.

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  2. FHAugust 27, 2007 at 5:43 PM

    Gorgeous Pooja place Padma. I love the jewelry there and of course food.Thanks for posting the pics:))
    Enjoy.

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  3. SuganyaAugust 27, 2007 at 6:42 PM

    Brings back lot of memories. My mom used to have a silver face of the goddess for this viratham. My MIL's side don't celebrate this though.

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  4. LathaAugust 27, 2007 at 7:03 PM

    Looks very good Padma! Your pictures are beautiful and all the prasadam looks delicious :-)

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  5. TeeAugust 27, 2007 at 7:13 PM

    Beautiful pictures Padma!Loved your pooja arrangement and neivedyam.:)

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  6. CynthiaAugust 27, 2007 at 8:26 PM

    This is such an honour for me that you share this... something this intimate. Thank you very very much, Padma.

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  7. Mishmash !August 27, 2007 at 9:17 PM

    Nice to have a glimpse into your pooja !

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  8. UnknownAugust 27, 2007 at 9:36 PM

    hi padma
    ur puja pics r looking great nd a good info abt the ritual
    pooja pics r very colorful like ur dishes pics

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  9. JyothiAugust 27, 2007 at 10:18 PM

    Yours pooja photos are very beautiful padma! thanks for sharing with us. Yummy prasadam.. :))

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  10. SharmiAugust 27, 2007 at 10:40 PM

    nice pics! It just slipped out of my mind to take pics. besides I was exhausted.

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  11. AnonymousAugust 28, 2007 at 12:09 AM

    Nice pics and pooja place. Thanks for that virtual taamboolam. I miss being at home......

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  12. SigAugust 28, 2007 at 1:32 AM

    Gorgeous pictures padma, looks like you went all out!

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  13. LiaAugust 28, 2007 at 2:41 AM

    Really interest and thanks to share us. In my country, people in Bali are used to make puja in the earlier morning, almost 90 persen the population people in Bali are Hindus.

    Padma did u uplood photo on flickr?? really am not able to see all ur picture, because they have banned flickr here :(

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  14. Latha NarasimhanAugust 28, 2007 at 2:46 AM

    Such a devine post Padma! Beautiful pictures!

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  15. SrivalliAugust 28, 2007 at 7:35 AM

    Padma..so nice of you to share this with us....everything looks so wonderful.

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  16. ArunaAugust 28, 2007 at 9:24 AM

    Padma, Loved ur pics, I liked ur pooja corner very much, Its amazing when I see ppl still keeping up the tradition & not forgetting where they come from...
    Keep it up!!!

    themistressofspices.wordpress.com

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  17. TBCAugust 28, 2007 at 11:01 AM

    You have such a beautiful pooja room and those pics are absolutely lovely.

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  18. ManasiAugust 28, 2007 at 12:00 PM

    Beautiful pooja pics and prasadam!

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  19. swapna susarlaAugust 28, 2007 at 1:27 PM

    Ammavaru looking so beautifull padma!!!
    the food plate is also looking yummy!!!!

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  20. PadmaAugust 28, 2007 at 2:51 PM

    Thanks Saju, Tee, Latha for your valuable comments.

    Asha, glad you liked the jewelery, I was so exhausted so I didn't take much efforts in getting beautiful pics.

    Suganya I am glad that those pictures refreshed your fond memories!

    Cynthia dear, I am really honoured by your kind words...believe me first I was thinking not to post it on a food blog..

    Thanks Shn, Sig, TBC, Vidya for those kind words

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  21. PadmaAugust 28, 2007 at 2:54 PM

    Thanks Jyothi...

    Sharmi, I can imagine the amount of work that has to be done. But I take snaps every year so that my Mom doesn't miss seeing my puja. This year I missed taking snap with u +_+

    Dear Lakshmi, thanks for accepting my virtual thamboolam

    Lia, I am gonna send some links to you through which I guess you can see them...

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  22. PadmaAugust 28, 2007 at 2:58 PM

    Thanks Latha for your kind comments

    Hey Srivalli, I am glad you liked it

    and Aruna, thanks for those beautiful words...I believe in those customs and feel like if we miss doing them, what will our next generation learn about these festivals...

    Hey Manasi, thanks yaar

    Swapna...tx for your lovely words

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  23. MansiAugust 28, 2007 at 3:08 PM

    Hey, my friend Rashmi did this at her place and she had used a beautiful Lakshmiji mask on a coconut, and her rawa idlis were awesome!!

    nice post, its great to know about festivals that others celebrate!

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  24. RichaAugust 28, 2007 at 6:02 PM

    such a pleasure going thru the pics! I felt i was there attending the function :)

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  25. SwaruchyAugust 28, 2007 at 6:25 PM

    Hi padma.....chaala bavunnayi anni photos...asalu aa tambulam aithe chaala bavundi :-))
    chaala devullu unnaru mee mandiram lo...wow :-)
    anni lakshmilu vachi mimmalni baaga aasirvadinchalani korukuntunanu :-)

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  26. WokandSpoonAugust 29, 2007 at 1:23 AM

    Wow. I love the photos. Thanks for sharing all the information with us - I have to admit I didn't know much about this before your post!

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  27. JayashreeAugust 29, 2007 at 3:15 AM

    Lovely pics, Padma.....Thank you for visiting my blog.
    You need to drop little unevenly shaped bits of the ragi pakoda dough in hot oil and fry until golden brown. I do have the instructions in the post...don't know why it didn't show up when u were reading.

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  28. SajuAugust 29, 2007 at 1:33 PM

    Hi again Padma, I have tagged you for MEME, instructions are on my blog, I hope you can take part. Posted on the 28th of August 2007

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  29. AppleAugust 29, 2007 at 2:39 PM

    That's a lovely post Padma..kalasam bagundi..and the jewellery too

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  30. PadmaSeptember 1, 2007 at 5:30 PM

    @ Manasi D, thanks for you time, yeah I didnt bring Lakshmi's face, next time I visit India I have to bring it for sure.

    Hey Richa, I am glad you felt like you attended the puja, hope you liked my virtual thamboolam!

    Sirisha, thanks ra...those god's pics you have seen are only 50% I am having lot many photos of God in my puja room, Will show them one day

    @ Fiona, I am glad now you k now about this South Indian festival

    @ Jayashree, thanx dear for th einfo on those fritters

    @ Saju, I will surely play MEME

    Thanks Keerthi!

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  31. timepassSeptember 3, 2007 at 8:15 AM

    Very nice puja decoration and nice pics..

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  32. PadmaSeptember 7, 2007 at 4:12 PM

    thanks timepass!

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  33. RoopaSeptember 10, 2007 at 1:17 AM

    your pooja place looks great! the prasadam plate is inviting too. your kalasham looks so different nice one.

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  34. PadmaSeptember 10, 2007 at 5:31 PM

    Thanks Roopa I have to bring Devi's face this time when I visit India specially for this puja

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  35. AnonymousJuly 30, 2008 at 11:48 AM

    Padma i was browsing by to find out more details and pooja vidhanam of varalakshmi varatam, so happened to visit ur web blog. i have seen the photos they are very neat and looks like u have performed the pooja very well. hope Goddess has showered all her blessings to u.
    I too liked the online taamboolam. thanx for giving online taamboolam.
    wish u and all of us perform vralakshmi pooja again this year and seek goddess blessings

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  36. UnknownAugust 16, 2008 at 9:52 AM

    Hi Padma,

    This morning the first thing I did was open your blog and I was so glad I did that. You really have talent there. I saw your last year's varalakshmi puja page and find it so beautiful.

    Thank you for inviting me for this year's puja. The prasadam was all so good. We wish that may Goddess Lakshmi shower you with blessings and fulfil your wishes.

    thanks again,

    Chitra

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I appreciate the time you take to comment on this blog. It is really inspiring and motivating though I may not be able to acknowledge each n every comment. I will try my level best to answer your questions and queries!!

Thank you all once again to stop by, hope to see u again