Festival companion · Friday 13 August 2027

Varamahalakshmi Vratha

Lakshmi, the giver of boons. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Varamahalakshmi Vratha

The goddess Parvati once asked Shiva which vrata would bring the greatest blessings to a family. Shiva told her of the Varamahalakshmi vrata.

A devoted woman named Charumati saw Lakshmi in a dream, who asked her to perform this puja on the Friday before the full moon of Shravana. Charumati invited her neighbours, and every home that joined was filled with prosperity.

Women still invite friends for haldi-kumkum on this day, sharing the blessings as Charumati did.

How families celebrate

Celebrated on the Friday before the full moon of Shravana, mainly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. A kalasha is decorated as the Goddess Lakshmi with a silk saree, jewellery and flowers, and the women of the house pray for the health and prosperity of the whole family.

Kalasha decoration, the sacred yellow thread (dora) tied on the wrist, nine kinds of sweets as naivedya, and inviting women friends for arishina kumkuma.

At home

The Puja

A simple home puja anyone can follow, plus the full vidhi with Sanskrit mantras.

Simple puja guide (English)

Detailed puja vidhi with Sanskrit mantras: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Cook together

Kosambari

More recipes →
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu · Varamahalakshmi, Rama Navami, every festival

Kosambari

Lentil salad: kosambari in Kannada, kosumalli in Tamil

  • 15 min + soaking
  • Serves 4
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • ½ cup moong dal, soaked 2 hours
  • 1 cucumber, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 2 tbsp fresh coconut
  • Lemon juice, salt, coriander
  • Tempering: oil, mustard seeds, green chilli, hing

Method

  1. Drain the dal well.
  2. Mix with cucumber, carrot, coconut and coriander.
  3. Add salt and lemon just before serving.
  4. Pour the hot tempering on top.

Fresh, cooling and full of protein. A festival plate in Karnataka or Tamil Nadu is not complete without it.

For children

Decorate a kalasha

You need

  • A small brass or steel pot
  • Rice, a coin, a betel nut
  • Five mango leaves and a coconut
  • A small cloth, flowers and a printed Lakshmi face

Steps

  1. Fill the pot with rice, a coin and a betel nut.
  2. Place mango leaves in the mouth and the coconut on top.
  3. Wrap the cloth like a saree and add flowers.
  4. Fix the Lakshmi face on the coconut.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

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