Hindu Temple of Siouxland celebrated the auspicious Vara Mahalakshmi Vratam at the temple.
Maha Varalakshmi Vratam is a sacred Hindu observance performed to seek the blessings of Goddess Varalakshmi—the manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi who bestows divine boons (vara). Observed primarily on the Friday preceding the full moon day (Pournami) in the month of Shravana (July–August), it holds deep spiritual, familial, and cultural importance.
The vratam is considered equivalent to worshipping the Ashta Lakshmi. Traditionally performed by married women (Sumangalis), the vratam is dedicated to praying for the good health, prosperity, and longevity of husbands and family members.
In Skanda Purana, Lord Shiva described this ritual to Goddress Parvathi. It talks about a pious woman Charumathi and her devotion to family and the Divine. Goddess Lakshmi appeared in her dream and instructed her to perform the vratam.
Event Preparations…
Preparation for the event started a day early. A special Kalasha was made using a metal pot filled with rice, coins, water, It was then crowned with a coconut, representing the cosmic womb, creation, and divine presence. An Amman (Goddess) face was added to the setup and dressed elaborately in silk saree, garlands and jewelry.
Day Of The Event
The ladies assembled at 6 PM in the evening in traditional Indian attire. With the generous donation of pooja items from Dr. Prasunna from our community, the group prepared for doing the pooja themselves. Over the next hour they performed the sacred Shodasha Upachara Pooja under the guidance of our priest DarshanJi. Each of the participant tied the sacred yellow thread (Dora Granthi) on their wrists as a symbol of protection and grace.
After the pooja and aarti, prasadham prepared by the participants were shared with the community. An important aspect of the event is the women sharing Thali (Tamboolam) – a plate containing betel leaves, turmeric, kumkum, bangles, and sweets – reinforcing community bonds and goodwill.
After the event, the President of Executive Committee Aarti Anand had this to say:
“A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed their time, effort, donations, and participation in making our *Mahavaralakshmi Vratam* celebration so beautiful and successful. A special thank you to Dr. Prasuna Muppa for sponsoring the event and supporting our temple once again this year. Your generosity and continued support mean so much to our community. We sincerely appreciate everyone who helped with food, thalis, flowers, decorations, setup, coordination, and all the behind-the-scenes seva. Thank you all for coming together and making this celebration truly special!”🙏
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Picture Credit: Includes pictures from Ms. Prasunna and HTOS EC Team. Thank you!