Vratam is celebrated on the Friday before pournami in Sravanam. Women performing the vratam may observe fast or take an early dinner on the eve of Varalakshmi Vratam. On the puja day, they get up early in the morning, at least a couple of hours before dawn, and take a head-bath. The household premises are cleaned and the entrances smeared with turmeric paste and the kum kum marks applied to begin with. A puja spot - mandapam - is set up by drawing a rangoli. Rice is spread on the rangoli and a kalasa or a small pot is placed on the rice. A coconut is placed atop the kalasa and a small piece of cloth is placed like a cap atop the coconut. Some attempt to draw the features of the goddess on the coconut to make an image of Her. A mirror is also placed behind the kalasam and some use small pots available in silver and copper with an image of the goddess for the ritual. After the vratam, women in the vicinity are invited for ‘Perantam' and offered ‘Thambulam'.
The vratam is performed by all castes without any discrimination and is very popular in Andhra. Huge crowds of women are found visiting market places on the eve of Varalakshmi Vratam. They purchase gold and clothes, and articles for puja, and they also buy a copy of Varalakshmi Vratakalpam, a booklet describing the puja procedure. Many temples in the city, particularly Sri Kanakamahalakshmi temple, conduct special pujas for Sravanalakshmi and Varalakshmi as an annual feature.(read more in The Hindu)
Read the Original post on :http://iwwh.blogspot.com/2010/08/varalakshmi-vratam-on-20-august.html
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