Varalakshmi Vratham celebrated grandly

Hyderabad: Varamahalakshmi Vratham is a festival celebrated to propitiate the Goddess Lakshmi. Women dress up in their traditional best and offer prayers with gaiety and fervour. On the occasion of Vratham, a large number of women visited temples and took part in mass rituals.

Mostly, married women perform Varalakshmi Vratham to seek blessings for the entire family, especially husband and children. As per the Hindu scriptures, it is a strong belief that worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on this auspicious day is equivalent to offering prayers to Ashtalakshmi – the eight Goddesses of Love, Wealth, Strength, Peace, Fame, Pleasure, Earth and Learning.

On the day of Varalakshmi Vratham, the devotees said they rose early before the sunrise and began preparations for the Vratham. Fasting the whole day, they changed Lakshmi mantra with devotion. Later in the evening they assembled at fully decorated pooja site and offered prayers as laid down in the religious books. Many make at least nine varieties of dishes to offer Lakshmi Devi on the occasion.

"We consider this day very precious. We fast whole day seeking blessing of goddesses for happiness and prosperity in lives. If both husband and wife observe this fast together, it bears good fruits," says Swapna, a housewife, at Mothi Nagar.

"Varalakshmi is the goddess of riches and prosperity. Praying sincerely wins her blessings and she bestows all favours upon us. Women worship her with all love and devotion," said Madhu Latha, a teacher from Mettuguda.