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Kalyani switched
off her computer and got up. "Stella, I’m going home. See you on Monday!"
Stella looked at her watch. "It’s only 3 o’clock! Do you have some work at
home?"
"Yes, Stella," Kalyani replied. "I have to make arrangements for
tomorrow’s Varalakshmi festival."
"Oh, I didn’t know that!" Stella said. "You’ll have some special
food tomorrow!"
"Of course!" Kalyani smiled. "But more important is the pooja. The married
women perform Varalakshmi Viratham for the well-being of their respective husbands,
children and family members and for the prosperity of the family in general."
"Just like typical Hindu women who always do everything for their family!"
Stella said. "What do you do during the festival?"
"Varalakshmi Pooja is performed on the Friday after the amavasa (new moon day) in the
Tamil month of Avani."
Kalyani explained. "We use a brass or silver pot-shaped vessel to prepare the goddess
Varalakshmi. It’s known as Kalasam, which is adorned with beautiful jewels."
Stella was listening with interest. Kalyani continued, "We fill the Kalasam with
rice, pulses, turmeric, gold and silver coins and rupees. Then we draw the face of the
goddess Varalakshmi on the kalasam and place a coconut and mango leaves on top of the
kalasam. We also apply the holy turmeric and kumkum (vermilon) on the kalasam. Then, we
decorate the pooja place with flowers and kolam."
"How do you perform the pooja?" Stella asked.
"Well, some years before, a prohit would come home and direct us to perform the
pooja. Now, it’s very modern! The taperecorder chants the slogas from a cassette and
we perform the pooja!" Kalyani laughed.
"How long does it take to perform the pooja?" Stella asked again.
"About an hour," replied Kalyani. "After the pooja, all women and girls in
the family tie a sacred yellow thread in their right hand and offer prayers."
"What do you do with the kalasam?"
"We pray to the goddess and give our offerings on the pooja day and the next day. We
then take the kalasam and keep it in our rice drum to ensure that we prosper."
"How interesting!" Stella admired. "Could I join you tomorrow for the
pooja?"
"Oh, yes!" Kalyani said with a broad smile. "Do come home to pray for
better prosperity!"
Shiv
Varalakshmi festival is
celebrated in India
on August 20, 1999, Friday.
ChennaiChips wishes its
readers
a happy and prosperous life!
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