Varalakshmi Vratam : Tradition continued with enthusiasm

Times changed, women have become career oriented and are juggling multiple tasks with aplomb and usually have little or no time for them. Yet, when it comes to Varalakshmi Vratam, the most significant Pooja observed by married women in this part of the country, on the second Friday of the auspicious month of Sravan, there is no compromise.
The puranas say thus – Lord Vishnu is in Yoga Nidra during this month and Goddess Lakshmi his consort, is all gracious in her granting the wishes of the devout.

For the well-being of the family and the husband in particular, women folk perform this pooja with utmost devotion – the fervour with which the modern day Telugu woman continues to observe the rituals of the pooja is a proof of her unwavering dedication to the family that always comes first in her scheme of things. And she does not do the pooja alone; she ensures her daughters do it along with her, thus carrying the tradition forward.

New clothes and buying at least half a gram of gold is mandatory. In addition to the usual pooja paraphernalia, special dishes are prepared to be offered to the deity – the number of dishes is usually in odd digits – nine, five or three. The decoration of the pooja mandir in itself is a specialty that each of them tries to overdo the other. Catering to this popular psyche there are various kinds of flowers, banana branches etc., that are available in the market. Women decorate the deity with utmost love. It is a visual treat, when towards the evening one is invited to the “Perantam”, when friends and women of the family are invited to seek the blessings of Vara Lakshmi. The deity looks resplendent in silk finery with the best of jewellery.

The tradition is considered so important that thousands of Telugus migrated to every part of the world, but the women ensure they do not miss this special pooja. It is an amazing thing to see women in the US and Australia managing to do the pooja with all the rituals intact. While it is a heartening aspect to see that the tradition sustained the test of time, one hopes that it is not commercialised so much that it loses its purity.

- Rajeshwari Kalyanam