| Laksmi Puja a religious
festival of Hindus, celebrating Laksmi, the goddess of prosperity and
good fortune. The Rg Veda refers to her as the goddess of beauty
and wealth. The Taittiriya Sanghita depicts Laksmi and Sri as the
two wives of Aditya. According to the Shatapathabrahmana, she emerged
from Prajapati, while according to the ramayana,
she emerged from the sea with a lotus in her hand.
Laksmi
is also referred to as Kamala, Gajalaksmi and Mahalaksmi. She is
depicted variously, with two or four arms. Seated on a lotus, she
holds a lotus in her hand. Her vahana (mount) is the owl.
Laksmi Puja is held on the full moon following durga
puja. It is believed that on this night, the goddess
visits houses to distribute blessings, rewarding those who keep
awake the whole night worshipping her. This worship is called
Kojagari Purnima or Kojagari Laksmi Puja because the
devotees stay awake all night.
Some people also perform a special puja for Laksmi
every Thursday. In some areas, Laksmi Puja is held at dusk on the
day of the new moon in Kartik. Goddess Laksmi may be worshipped
in the form of a statue or as a painted image on a pitcher or pot. |
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Sri Sri Laksmi |
On the occasion of Laksmi Puja, alpana
or floral designs are drawn with rice paste on floors and courtyards of
houses, especially along the path from the door to the altar of the goddess
and the cowshed. The path is often marked with tiny footprints-made by
dipping rounded fists in rice paste and stamping the ground with themsymbolising
Laksmi's path. At the end of the puja, food is distributed. In some places,
people pass the night playing dice, eating coconut and sweet balls made
of fried or flattened rice, and drinking coconut water.
Laksmi is widely worshipped in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
In every village home, there is a seat for Laksmi. In villages, fairs
take place on the day of Laksmi Puja, where household goods and fancy
objects are sold. boat
races are also held in some places. [Suresh Chandra Banerjee]
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