Source: www.daijiworld.com
DUBAI, UAE, August 2: Devotees across the United Arab Emirates attended a vibrant Mahalakshmi Vratam festival held today at Karama Centre Recreation Hall and participated with full of devotion. This pooja is being held every year at the same premises. More than 800 devotees attended this event to get themselves blessed by Goddess Lakshmi.
Varalakshmi Vratam is a sacred day in Hinduism. Married ladies celebrate this day on the Friday just before the full moon day in the month of “Sravana” – July/August- according to Hindu calendar. This ritual is more commonly performed in Southern Indian States, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra and Orissa. On this day Hindu women invite all the neighboring laides to their homes and perform puja for seeking the blessings of the goddesses of wealth and prosperity.
Traditionally, on Varalaksmi Vratam, Hindu women decorate the floor of the front yards of their houses with colorful designs. They wear beautiful clothes and jewelry and sing devotional songs. The main pooja begins with the worship of Lord Ganesha and the offering of a pot filled with rice, water, mango and betel leaves. On the next day, mango rice is cooked and eaten as prasadam.