Mahalakshmi-Varalakshmi Vrata Puja

Varalakshmi Vratam or Varalakshmi Vrata is a special ritual performed by married women in South India, particularly in the regions of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Varalakshmi Vrata Festival is celebrated to worship and seek the blessings of Goddess Varalakshmi, one of the Ashta Lakshmi or Ashtalakshmi (eight Lakshmis). Goddess Varalaksmi, the Goddess who bestows Beautiful Boons, and is considered as the Goddess of wealth, power and prosperity. Vara Lakshmi Vratam is observed on Friday before the full moon day during the month of Sravan or Aadi (July - August).

How to perform the Varalakshmi Vrata Pooja?

The preparation for the Varalakshmi Vrat puja starts in the evening before the day of worship. The place where puja is performed should be cleaned thoroughly. Usually, the women decorate the place with rangolis and flowers. A kalasam (bronze pot) is filled with water or rice and coins, betel leaves, betel nut and mango leaves and decorated with turmeric, sandal paste, vermillion, with a new cloth tied around its neck. A coconut is rubbed with turmeric paste around it and kept on the top of the kalasam. The mango leaves are made to fall on the sides of the kalasam. An image of Goddess Lakshmi (made of any kind of materials) is fixed on the pot. Then arathi is taken to the kalasam.

Next morning, the kalasam is placed on raw rice and then the Varalakshmi pooja starts, with a prayer to Lord Ganesh. Varalakshmi slokas, Ashtalakshmi Stotram, and Lakshmi Sahasranamam are recited throughout the pooja. Sweets, fruits and flowers are offered to Goddess. At the end of the Varalakshmi puja, women tie yellow colored threads to their wrists. Thamboolam (betel leaves, betel nuts fruits, turmeric and dakshna (money) are offered to other sumangalis (married women) who are invited for the pooja. Fasting is observed by the women who perform the pooja. The water in the pot is sprinkled in the house on the next day.

History of Varalakshmi Vrata

Legends say that Vara Lakshmi Vrata pooja was stated by Lord Parameswara to be performed by his consort Parvathi, to get prosperity for the family. Hence, it is followed by married women to seek boons (varam) for the health, wealth and knowledge for their family.

Importance of Varalakshmi Vrat

It is believed that observing Varalaksmi Vratham would bless a woman with eight forces or energies, namely, Sri (Wealth), Bhu (Earth), Saraswati (learning), Priti (love), Kirti (Fame), Santhi (Peace), Tushti (Pleasure) and Pushti (Strength).

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Kanda Shasti Vratam

On the sixth day of Kanda Sashti, Lord Senthil Andavar and his army of devotees engage the army of supertitan Cur in battle on the beach at Tiruchendur and vanquish them in an hour-long running battle. At last Cur hides in the form of a monstrous mango tree (below) at the bottom of the ocean, but Murugan hurls his Vel and splits the tree/demon into a cock and a peacock.

Kanda Shasti Vratam is observed once a year in the month of ‘Aippasi’ (October–November) starting from the ‘piratamai’ the 1st phase of the brightening moon.

Of all Kanda temples it is the one in Tirunchendur in Tamil Nadu, India that draws the largest number of Kanda devotees. All roads, at the time of the Vratam, seem to lead to Tirunchendur. Beside the temple by the sea there appears to be a sea of heads. The Kantan's Tiruvilaiyaadal (divine sport) Soora Samharam is enacted during the sixth day of the festival. This is a drama to grant a great boon to Curapatman by Kantan. Curapatman is given the honour of becoming Kantan's vehicle mayil vahanam (peacock vehicle) and ceval kodi (the rooster on Kantan’s flag).

During the six days of Kanda Shasti, devotees, usually fast. They fast in many different forms: some devotees take only one meal a day and that single meal is the evening meal; to some that single meal consist of fruit and milk; others forego all solid foods, even abstain from taking medication take only a liquid diet; some even forego the liquid diet. Of the above forms taking milk would defeat the purpose of clearing long stored fat. Not taking any liquids could be harmful, as many unwanted matters tend to remain in the body. The ideal form of fast would be that during all six days and nights to abstain from all solid food and even medicine but take water, coconut water, strained orange juice and or such permissible liquids. These liquids help to flush out unwanted substances and to clean the body.

At the end of the six-day fast the body is indeed cleaner than it was before. The mind is cleansed by the pilgrimage, meditation, worship and other devotional activities. A pure mind in a pure body is a sublime combination and conducive to realizing the Divine. This is the reward and benefit of Kanda Shasti Vratam.

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