Varalakshmi Vratham | Varamahalakshmi poojai Procedures| Varalakshmi Pooja is performed by south Indian women (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka – Correct me if I am wrong). Usually, Pooja is celebrated on a Friday, before the full moon day, in the Tamil Month Aadi/Avani (Sravana). This year we have pooja on August 28th (2015)
(Reader Pranita says, “Maharashtra we do Mahalaxmi puja on each Friday in shrawan month.It’s slightly different”
Thinking about Varalakshmi Pooja I remember three things, Yellow thread, Pooja, and prasadam. For my wedding, my parents got me a Varalakshmi Amman mugham (face) and kalasam for me to do Pooja.
Last week my friend called to ask about Varalakshmi Pooja preparations. I told her the things I knew. After talking to her, I thought I should do a post so that it will help my friends, readers, and of course me, by not calling my Mothers ( Mother and Mother-in-law) every time for asking small doubts as I have poor memory.
This is how I do the Pooja (Dear Readers, feel free to share your Pooja experience, I will be happy to update it in my post). Since I am in the US, based on the things I get here my procedure slightly deviates from usual
Thursday
- Mix water and turmeric powder in a runny consistency, Apply it over the coconut surface and let it cool
- In my Pooja room I put kolam in a small plate (As we have carpet cant put kolam directly)
- In a small stool/palagai (wooden planks) place banana leaf/ Blouse bit
- Spread little Akshadai (Rice + turmeric powder) over it
- Place the Sombhu. Add sandhanam ( Sandhal Powder) and kumkum for Sombhu
- Add rice, moong dal, coin, turmeric, lemon, jaggery and kaathu ola karukamani inside the Sombhu
- Keep fresh /artificial mango leaves like lotus petals in the sombhu
- Place the coconut over the sombhu ( Make sure the turmeric powder – water is completely dry, to avoid the yellow layer around the sombhu:-)). Kalasam is ready
- Place the Amman in the Kalasam (fix the Amman stand into the coconut) and tie the back tightly
- In the evening do aarti and offer Manjal (Yellow) Pongal or any prasadam to god as Naivediyum
Friday Morning
They say shouldn’t (Preferably) get up in the middle of pooja, so I generally keep all the things ready for Pooja.
- Betel leaves
- Paaku (Supari)
- Fruits
- Flowers (which I get here, though Arali is auspicious can’t find it here)
- Neivadiyam items (Prasadam for Amman)
- Nombu Saradu (Holy yellow rope with a small flower tied in each rope)
- Akshadai
- pooja items
- Karpuram
- karpura thattu
- pancha pathiram
Inviting and Decorating Amman
- Gently take the wooden plank / stool in which Amman is there, near the house entrance (Preferably in the east direction, facing inside the home)
- Do aarti and naivediyum with some fruits
- Invite Amman ( we call Amman Azhaikanum). Gently bring the wooden plank/ stool (with Amman) into Pooja room or the place where you decide to keep the Amman by singing “Varalakshmi Ra Ve Ma Intiki” song (Usually I ask my husband to put this song from YouTube and sing along, as I am not fully familiar with lyrics)
- Place the Amman in a mandapam or stool or wooden plank
- Decorate Amman (I got Amman pavadai, jeedai, maalai, accessories from India which I generally Use). Use flowers for decoration
Pooja
- My Amma got me a book that has the slogans for collection of pooja. I generally read the varalaskmi slogam from that book. Heard from friends that slogam is also available in the internet. I was told to do pooja for Vinayagar first then for Amman and I follow that
- After the pooja, I do neivedhyam and deepaarathanai
Neivedhya Items we prepare for Pooja
- Sweet Kozhukattai
- uppu Kozhukattai
- Paruppu Payasam/Dal Kheer
- Appam
- Ulundhu vadai/ Urad dal vada
- Pacha Arisi Idli
- Kondaikadalai Sundal(Chickpeas sundal)
- White cooked rice
- Paruppu
- Coconut, broken
- Fruits
Tie Yellow Thread
- In a plate, take coconut, kumkum, turmeric, betel leaves, paaku, and nombu saradu. Before marriage my Mom use to tie yellow thread in my right hand, now my husband does the honor 🙂
- Namaskaram session for God and elders
- Enjoy the prasadam
Friday evening
- Lamp deepam. invite friends to home and give tamboolam. (In India I have seen guest singing songs in praise of Laskmi and Give channa dal sundal prasadam to the guest)
Friday night
- Generally, ladies skip rice for dinner. They have the prasadam item for dinner (Idli, kozhukattai, Appam). Pregnant women and new mom take exception.
Punar Poojai
- Fruit Neivedhyam for Amman and chant slogam.
- Evening do one round of aarthi, put flowers in Amman’s feet. Gently move the kalasam to the east direction (Reader Varsha suggested, Amman is also moved towards the north direction). After sometime place the kalasam with Amman – inside the rice container
- Next day take the kalasam from rice container and keep the Amman and sombhu, covered for next year. Coconut is generally used for preparing payasam/ coconut burfi
To know more about the pooja pls Refer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varalakshmi_Vratam
Disclaimer: I have shared the experience based on how we do in our home. Every tradition is different so ignore if something is irrelevant for you
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What a beautiful post this is Vidya. Each ritual has been explained so nicely. Gives a sense of piousness in every word. And the dishes each delicious and befitting the occasion. Very nice and thank you for this awesome post.
Thanku dear:-)
Great share.. We keep the amman inside a mandapam basically I keep it inside the small ikea table.. Also I got DVDs for all these poojas. Varalakshmi Vratham, Sarawathy Pooja and Ganesh Chathurthi.That helps a lot with slokam and the pronunciations..
This time its going to very hectic for me. I flying to East Coast that evening. So will be missing the elaborate pooja. 🙁
I miss IKeA.. Should buy table type.. also artificial vazha kannu from India.. Travel plan oh man its must b hectic for u da
I love seeing all of these delicious festival foods, I am not that familiar with the Indian holidays and love learning about them and the foods that are served.
Thanku Suzanne:-)
It’s nice to know about various traditions and rituals…
We Keralites don’t celebrate Varalakshmi pooja tomorrow.. We celebrate Onam tomorrow ☺
Thanku Bilna:-) Happy Onam to you.. I have updated in my post
Nicely written…wonderful post
Thanku Gayathri:-)
Hi Vidya.. Nice and timely post.. I just want to add one thing.. After punar pooja Ambal is moved a but to the north side 🙂
Thanku Varsha for the suggestion I will update in my post:-)
Very timely post! Wonderfully written…
Thanku Shyama:-)
Hey,
Good job 😊 Its helpful for everyone.In maharashtra we do mahalaxmi puja on each friday in shrawan month.Its slightly different. Where did you find coconut for puja.Beacause its banned in US.I am unable to find it..So last friday I did photo puja.
TIA
Thanku Pranita for sharing information:-) I will update in my post. I live in AR and we get in out Indian Stores
Hi…here in US I can’t find coconut with top(kudumi in Tamil).Is it okay to make kalasam with that coconut?
Sorry for late reply Aarthi, I took a break from blogging.
I also live in US and thats how i do it every year
Wow.. such informative and useful post. Happy varamahalakshmi vratha dear 🙂
Thanku Kushi:-)
I just love hearing about the different cultures and their traditions. I enjoyed all of the steps that one has to go through. Too often we just take the easy route and out tradition is lost.
Totally agree with you Julie:-) thanku
vow so nice and informative and specifically for newbies 🙂
Thanku Bharani:-)
Fascinating. I did not know about this – so thank you for the link, and your description! It sounds like a lovely ritual.
Thanku Anne:-)
Wow.. superb post Vidya detailing on the pooja procedures 🙂 I do it in a much similar way except that I set up the Kalasam in the pooja room and I dont do the Amman Azhaithal. Also, as I know Lalitha Sahasranam by heart I just chant it along with the pooja slokams 🙂 Amma does 5 or 7 varieties of neiveidhyams – I stick to only a couple.
Thanks for sharing your Pooja information dear:-) I know we can’t compete with mothers they r best
Lovely post .. Thanks for sharing about all the rituals of Varalakshmi Vratham along with the recipes..
Thanku Shoba:-)
What a beautiful post Vidhya, it shows your dedication and patience! Neatly written with detailed puja procedures… will be useful to all who follow this viratham. Thank you for sharing!
Thanku Mullai:-)
nice to know about this rituals, thx for sharing it my friend!!!
Glad you enjoyed it .. Thanku Dedy
Great and wonderful
Thanku Amma:-)
I knew nothing about Varalakshmi Pooja at all, so I am now slightly less ignorant. This is a really interesting post, thank you.
It’s south Indian festival:-) thanks for stopping by
A ridiculously tempting bunch of ingredients and seasoning! YUMMY!
Thanku Levan:-)
This was very interesting for me to read and liked reading about this Hindu ritual. Sounds very festive! 🙂
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanku Madiyha:-)
Well written beautiful post ,Vidya…
Thanku Swapna:-)
Oh wow… what a wonderful post ! Highly informative!
Thanku Rose:-)
Love the exhaustive notes that you have provided! You’re so thorough, dear.
Thanku Apsara:-) I called both mothers n times to confirm everything..
Hi ..Vidya ..wonderfull post..
I have a doubt ?..I didn’t get Amman face in US….so I want to made Amman face with coconut and turmaric..what we do that coconut after the Pooja. ..
I will not use kalasam in the Pooja ..bcz I didn’t get kalasam Chembur here..Please let me know …
We usually make some sweet with coconut or use it for cooking.
Extremely sorry Shravnthi.. I was inactive for an year and missed ur post. Hope u had a nice pooja
Such a nice post and very useful for me. Since I also live in US this would be very helpful for me. One doubt which I have is, at what time we tie the thread? According to India time or US time? Eg. if aug 12th this year in IST if they tie at 9.30 am, same way we should also tie on August 12tb 9.30 am in US or is there any different time?
Extremely sorry Vandhana.. Iw as inactive for an year and missed ur post. Hope u had a nice pooja