varalakshmi vratham Pooja vidhanam
sravana sukravaram pooja vidhanam
Varalakshmi Vratam puja timings
Varalakshmi Vratam 20th August 2021 Friday
Varalakshmi Vratam is a festival to propitiate the goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity. Varalakshmi is one who grants Varam. It is an important pooja performed by many women in the states of Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. The Hindu festival going by the name 'Vara Lakshmi Vrata' is celebrated on the Second Friday or the Friday before full moon day -Purnima in the month of Śravaṇā, also called Śawan in Hindi, which corresponds to the English months of July-August.
Varalakshmi Vratam is performed by married woman for the well being of all the family members, especially husband, to get progeny etc. It is believed that worshiping Goddess Varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to worshiping Ashtalaksmi -the eight goddesses of Wealth, Earth, Learning, Love, Fame, Peace, Pleasure, and Strength. Because of the popularity in some states of India, it is declared as an optional official holiday in India.
In the kingdom of Magadha of yore, there lived a Brahmin woman called Charumathi in a town named Kundina. The prosperous town was the home of Charumathi and her husband. Impressed by her devotion to her family, Goddess Mahalakshmi appeared in her dream and asked her to worship Vara-Lakshmi (Vara -boon, Lakshmi-goddess of wealth) and seek to fulfill her wishes. Varalakshmi is yet another form of Lord Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The prayer/worship was prescribed to be offered on the Friday of Sravana month preceding the night of full moon. When Charumathi explained her dream to her family, she found them encouraging her to perform the pooja. Many other women of the village joined her in performing the pooja in a traditional way and offered many sweet dishes to the Goddess Varalakshmi.
On this occasion women worship Goddess Lakshmi with utmost devotion offering sweets and flowers, usually a kalash(representing the deity) will be decorated with a saree, flowers and gold jewelry with offerings placed in front.
This pooja can be done with no restriction to caste or creed. To this day many women observe this traditional festival praying Varamahalakshmi for her blesses in form wealth and well being of their family.
How to make thoram Pongu nool
Thoram and Pongu nool are nothing but the sacred thread smeared with turmeric powder.Thoram is made by taking 9 strings of thread.Put 9 knots in equal intervals.The number of thoram depends on the number of ladies and young girls at home.Thoram has to be tied around your wrist & Pongu nool is nothing but a single thread smeared with turmeric powder.You should tie it around your neck.Married ladies wear both Pongu nool & thoram whereas young girls tie thoram alone.Keep the thoram,Pongu nool,9 betel leaves, 9 betel nuts, 9 banana, 9 dates,9 turmeric sticks,kumkum box,Karimani mala ( black beads chain) in a plate & keep it ready for pooja.You can do all these works on before night itself.
How to make the Kalasam:
Fill the silver or bronze pot with scented water till its brim.On the top of kalasha,place 5 mango leaves keep in odd numbers and keep a coconut smeared with turmeric.The tail portion of coconut should face upward. Kalasam should face east.Some people have the practice of keeping raw rice,1 lemon,9 betel leaves,9 betel nuts,9 turmeric sticks,9 dry grapes,1 moulded jaggery,dry fruits and a karimani mala (black bead chain),coins inside the kalasha instead of scented water.So please make the kalasha according to your tradition.After making the kalasha,keep a kumkum dot and keep aside till u make other arrangements.
How to perform Varalakshmi vratham on Friday:
On Friday,In early morning after taking bath,wash the place where the puja is going to be held.One should observe fasting till the Puja is finished( who can't fast can have milk & fruits)Draw rangoli using rice flour and place the Wooden peeta OR Big plate/Thambaalam. Spread a banana leaf and put some raw rice ( you can done this on Thursday night,also).Place the kalasha over the rice.Cover the coconut using a new blouse piece( made into cone shape). To this coconut, an image of Goddess Lakshmi is fixed or the image of Lakshmi made using turmeric powder(refer below video).Some pepole makes the face of Lakshmi using turmeric powder. In some areas, women place a mirror behind the kalasham. Today, there are specially made Varalakshmi pots and faces available in the market.So you can buy and fix it with the blouse piece.Now the kalasham symbolically represents Goddess Lakshmi.
Decorate the idol with dress and Jewelries and garlands.You can dress it with a tucked saree or skirt (Pavadai).Put some jewels (Preferably gold) and tie a pongu nool around the neck.It is considered to be the Mangal sutra(Thali) Keep chandan(gandam/pasupu) and KumKum dots.Now Goddess Lakshmi idol is ready to perform pooja.Make a cone shaped Ganesh using turmeric powder mixed with water and keep it near the kalasha.Light the lamps at the time of pooja and start doing it.Read below book.
Neivedyam and Mangala Aarathi:
Neivedyam and Mangala Aarathi:
Finally, Mangala Harathi is performed for the kalasha.Different types of sweets/neivedyam are offered in front of the God.Nonbu saradu/Thoram (yellow thread) should be tied on the woman's right hand and Pongu nool should be tied around your neck.You can ask your Husband to do this.At the end, take Aarathi by mixing turmeric kumkum in water.Sing the Harathi song while taking Aarathi. Varalakshmi vratham Vidhanam
How to make Varalakshmi devi idol decoration:
Assemble boxes which you can find at home.Use a gum tape to glue the boxes together. Keep your kalasha on top and glue tape it to the boxes as shown. Tie a stick to kalash. Make sure that the tape are secured tightly as you do not want to see any mishaps.Keep the saree ready. We believe in using a new saree or a saree kept aside for goddess only for such festive occasions. Please check with your elders in the family for saree type, color etc.Pleat the saree. Take smaller pleats. Hold all the pleats and tie it at the end using a thread. This will help keep all the pleats in one place. Measure the height of the boxes you have piled up using saree from the folded end.Once you know the height, fold the saree and pass a thread.Release the thread you tied to the pleats. Spread the pleats and tie it to the box.Once you have secured the thread, fold the back portion of the saree nicely and hide it behind the box. Pick the 'pallu' part and pleate them.Pleat the pallu part and bring it to the front and over the stickTake the pallu in such a way that it covers Kalasha and stick on both sides. Bring the rest of the pallu from back to front over the stick.Leave the rest of the pallu in the front.Again, cover the kalsha and stick with the saree. Adjust saree accordingly. Rest of the length of the saree should be nicely folded and hid behind the box.
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How to make Varalakshmi devi idol decoration:
Assemble boxes which you can find at home.Use a gum tape to glue the boxes together. Keep your kalasha on top and glue tape it to the boxes as shown. Tie a stick to kalash. Make sure that the tape are secured tightly as you do not want to see any mishaps.Keep the saree ready. We believe in using a new saree or a saree kept aside for goddess only for such festive occasions. Please check with your elders in the family for saree type, color etc.Pleat the saree. Take smaller pleats. Hold all the pleats and tie it at the end using a thread. This will help keep all the pleats in one place. Measure the height of the boxes you have piled up using saree from the folded end.Once you know the height, fold the saree and pass a thread.Release the thread you tied to the pleats. Spread the pleats and tie it to the box.Once you have secured the thread, fold the back portion of the saree nicely and hide it behind the box. Pick the 'pallu' part and pleate them.Pleat the pallu part and bring it to the front and over the stickTake the pallu in such a way that it covers Kalasha and stick on both sides. Bring the rest of the pallu from back to front over the stick.Leave the rest of the pallu in the front.Again, cover the kalsha and stick with the saree. Adjust saree accordingly. Rest of the length of the saree should be nicely folded and hid behind the box.
Bring the pleats together and tie a thread in the center to hold everything together.Neaten up the saree. Now, the kalasha is ready to have it's head.Use your own jewelry or make some using your creativity.
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