Tirupati: Varalaskhmi Vratham performed with ardent devotion in city

Tirupati: Religious fervour and gaiety marked Vara Mahalakshmi Vratham in the district. For women there may not be another month as auspicious as ‘Sravana Masam’ as they eagerly wait to perform several traditional pujas. Women celebrated the event following traditions and customs and thronged the well decorated temples in large numbers. Normally, Varalakshmi Vratham is celebrated on the Friday that comes before the full moon day.

It was a fond belief among women that worshipping the Goddess Varalakshmi on this day is equivalent to praying ‘Ashta Lakshmi’. Thousands of women celebrated the occasion with special puja at their homes by setting up a ‘Kalasam’ on which a coconut is well decorated treating it as Goddess Varalakshmi. Some women even attach silver plated eyes, nose and lips while some others fix a readymade face resembling the goddess.

They perform the puja and listen to the ‘Vratham story’ with devotion before offering ‘Naivedyam’ to the goddess. Those who could not perform it at their homes for various reasons throng the temples where the puja is performed enmasse in batches. The temples including the famous Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Devasthanam in Tiruchanur, Sri Vasavi Kanyakaparameswari, Sakthi Chamundeswari, Annapurnamma temple, Tataiahgunta Gangamma Devasthanam among several others were well decorated on the occasion. Women in large numbers throng the temples from early in the morning till evening and worship the presiding deities. Srikalahsteeswara Devasthanam also witnessed a heavy rush with hundreds of women queued up to perform Varalaskhmi Vratham. Temple trust board chairman Anjuru Taraka Srinivasulu and EO KV Sagar Babu with their families took part in the Vratham.

Meanwhile, there was a hectic activity in the city from Thursday itself as women went on a shopping spree to buy the puja material. Several important market areas witnessed huge rush. As usual, the prices of flowers and fruits have surged upwards as the demand soars up.