DUBAI, UAE, August 14, 2011 (Daijiworld Media Network): An all-women puja committee, comprising over 50 members irrespective of caste, conducted the Shri Varamahalakshmi Vrutha Puja at JSS Private School Auditorium, Sh. Zayed Road, Dubai on Friday, August 12. The event was attended by more than 1,000 devotees from all around the UAE.
The ceremony began around 3:30 pm with decoration and lighting of lamps. Huge pictures of Vishnu and Ashtalakmi graced the Maha Mantapa, which was made of flowers and fruits. All the women who had been fasting on the auspicious day chanted the ‘Vishnu Sahasranaama,’ which went on for 40 minutes. The puja itself was conducted by Purohit Raghu Bhat. Three bhajan teams helped to create a devotional atmosphere. The puja concluded with the ‘Mahamangalarathi’ followed by non-stop Arati songs rendered by the group.
The women, in teams of five, conducted the event and ensured its smooth functioning. This is the fourth consecutive year that this vibrant puja has been organized.
The Vara Lakshmi Vratha is celebrated on the Friday before the full moon in the month of Aadi, which corresponds to the English months of July-August, to honor the Goddess Lakshmi.