Festival companion · Friday 13 August 2027

Varamahalakshmi Vratha

Lakshmi, the giver of boons. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Varamahalakshmi Vratha

The goddess Parvati once asked Shiva which vrata would bring the greatest blessings to a family. Shiva told her of the Varamahalakshmi vrata.

A devoted woman named Charumati saw Lakshmi in a dream, who asked her to perform this puja on the Friday before the full moon of Shravana. Charumati invited her neighbours, and every home that joined was filled with prosperity.

Women still invite friends for haldi-kumkum on this day, sharing the blessings as Charumati did.

How families celebrate

Celebrated on the Friday before the full moon of Shravana, mainly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. A kalasha is decorated as the Goddess Lakshmi with a silk saree, jewellery and flowers, and the women of the house pray for the health and prosperity of the whole family.

Kalasha decoration, the sacred yellow thread (dora) tied on the wrist, nine kinds of sweets as naivedya, and inviting women friends for arishina kumkuma.

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Short puja 30 minutes · freeFull puja 2 hours · members

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Short puja

  1. Prepare the kalasha

    On Thursday evening, fill a kalasha with rice or water, a coin, betel nut and turmeric. Place mango leaves and a coconut smeared with turmeric on top.

  2. Decorate as Lakshmi

    Dress the kalasha with a small silk cloth, a mask or face of the goddess, jewellery and flowers.

  3. Invite the goddess

    On Friday morning, sing a welcome song and bring the kalasha to the altar.

    SayOm Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye praseeda praseeda, Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Mahalakshmyai namah

  4. Ashtottara

    Offer flowers or kumkum while saying the 108 names of Lakshmi, or the simple name 108 times.

    SayOm Mahalakshmyai namah

  5. Tie the dora

    Worship a yellow thread with nine knots and tie it on the right wrist.

  6. Arishina kumkuma

    In the evening, invite women friends, offer turmeric, kumkum, bangles, fruit and a blouse piece, and sing.

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

Full puja

The full puja follows the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara, with every mantra in Devanagari, Kannada or Telugu script. It takes about 2 hours.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Full puja for members: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Members: open the full pujaShort of time? The short puja is complete on its own: flowers, a lamp and food offered with love are enough.

Print

Short puja guide to print

Full puja for members: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Cook together

Kosambari

More recipes →
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu · Varamahalakshmi, Rama Navami, every festival

Kosambari

Lentil salad: kosambari in Kannada, kosumalli in Tamil

  • 15 min + soaking
  • Serves 4
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • ½ cup moong dal, soaked 2 hours
  • 1 cucumber, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 2 tbsp fresh coconut
  • Lemon juice, salt, coriander
  • Tempering: oil, mustard seeds, green chilli, hing

Method

  1. Drain the dal well.
  2. Mix with cucumber, carrot, coconut and coriander.
  3. Add salt and lemon just before serving.
  4. Pour the hot tempering on top.

Fresh, cooling and full of protein. A festival plate in Karnataka or Tamil Nadu is not complete without it.

For children

Decorate a kalasha

You need

  • A small brass or steel pot
  • Rice, a coin, a betel nut
  • Five mango leaves and a coconut
  • A small cloth, flowers and a printed Lakshmi face

Steps

  1. Fill the pot with rice, a coin and a betel nut.
  2. Place mango leaves in the mouth and the coconut on top.
  3. Wrap the cloth like a saree and add flowers.
  4. Fix the Lakshmi face on the coconut.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

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