Festival Food - Varamahalakshmi Pooja

Varamahalakshmi Pooja is performed on the second friday of the Shravana masa.

The Shravana month is treated as the holiest month in the hindu calendar and comes with it the festive season.

The lakshmi pooja is performed on all fridays of the shravan month.On the second Friday varamahalakshmi pooja is performed by married women.

I remember my mom performs this pooja every year. Her preparation begins on the eve of the second friday when she cleans the house.Wake up early on the Friday, take head bath and then begin with the pooja preparations. My job as kid would be to draw huge rangolis in front of the main door and bring fresh mango leaves/twigs and place them on top of the main door to welcome the Goddess.

The pooja preparation involves setting up of the kalasha, the kalasha is filled with grains – mainly rice or water. A coconut is placed on top of the kalasha and is surrounded by 5 betel/pan leaves.My mom attaches a silver mukut of goddess to the coconut before placing it on the kalash. She places a huge pot below the kalash and drapes a saree around the pot. Decorates the kalash with ornaments and flowers. She places bangles and toe rings as well.

Now comes the offerings to the goddess. Place two betel leaves and on top of the betel are placed five things which include – one arecanut, one banana, one dry turmeric, one coin and a dry fruit. Five such sets are placed before the goddess. Some also place two banana/plantain stems on either side of the decoration.

Then comes the main thing the Naivedya. I remember my mom being very stressed about food preparation as the naivedya includes a variety of food.

The naivedya mainly includes

1. Holige/Obbattu
2. Obbatt saaru
3. Rice
4. Kosumbari
5. Kadabu
6. Bajji

In the evening, women dress in their best, celebrate the festival in their homes and also visit each others houses for the "Arishina-kumkuma" and "aarti".
Along with arishina-kumkuma, women are offered ’phala and tamboola’.

It is believed that the "Varamahalakshmi Pooja" would bring wealth, health and prosperity.

I think its basically an occasion to forget about calories for a change, eat fatty food. Meet friends and relatives and have a get-together.