Lakshmi Puja – October 24, 2022, history, spiritual importance
Lakshmi Puja is performed on the 15th day of the Kartik month as per the Hindu calendar. This year, it falls on October 24. Lakshmi — the Goddess of wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, and good fortune — is the preached deity of the observation.
Lord Ganesha, Lord Kubera, and Goddess Saraswati are also honored in the Puja. Lakshmi Puja signifies a new chapter and a clean slate for the devotees of the Goddess. On the eve of Lakshmi Puja, the goddess is believed to roam the earth. Devotees light up their homes with earthen lamps and leave their doors and windows open to invite her in.
HISTORY OF LAKSHMI PUJA
Lakshmi Puja is an annual ritual, performed on the third and most important day of Deepawali. The ‘Puja’— meaning ‘worship’— falls on the 15th day of the Kartik month. It is a part of the year’s most auspicious Hindu festival. Hindus perform the rite in their homes, requesting that the deity visit their household.
Earthen lamps are lit in different places around the house to attract the Goddess. Upon the conclusion of the main ritual, sweets are distributed throughout the home and the young take blessings from their elders. According to Hindu mythology, the Puja is performed to extinguish the bad energy in the home. Fireworks are also often lighted at the entrances of homes to ward off evil spirits.
It is believed that Lakshmi Puja erases all the sins of the past, so people can start on a fresh page and a repented soul. Millions of devotees mark the date of the festival to initiate new things and move forward in life. The purchase of new electronics, or a hefty investment is common during the day of the Puja.
People clean and decorate their homes to entice the Goddess. Delicacies are prepared at home, and devotees offer sweet treats and fineries to the Goddess. The inspiration behind the cleaning and preparation is to welcome Goddess Lakshmi into the home. Scriptures say that it is important to please the Goddess, for she holds the power to our wealth and prosperity.
LAKSHMI PUJA TIMELINE
6th Century
The First Mention
Goddess Lakshmi’s grandiosity is featured in the “Puranas” — the Hindu chronicles of gods and kings.
10th Century
Subheading
Lakshmi and Vishnu shrines are discovered in separate temples built in the 7th century.
15th Century
The Hindu Calendar
The Hindu calendar system gains popularity among all Hindus, and religious observances continue to be observed according to it.
2020
Biggest Lakshmi Puja
Bengal Lakshmi Puja or Kojagari Puja is performed in West Bengal, India, with more than a hundred thousand devotees in attendance.
HOW TO OBSERVE LAKSHMI PUJA
Prepare sweets at home
There are a ton of easy-to-make Indian sweets recipes on the Internet. A gallon of whole milk, half a cup of boiled rice, sugar, and some almonds, and you’ve got yourself a bowl of kheer. On Lakhsmi Puja, recreate the ambiance of a traditional Indian household in your kitchen.
Clean your house
We’re talking deep cleaning, okay! Carpet off, chandelier down, entertainment center turned off, fridge defrost kind of cleaning. Go bananas with your Kleenex and rubber gloves and wipe down every nook and corner.
Light a lamp
An earthen lamp, ‘Diya,’ is more than a decoration. It symbolizes purity, goodness, and the exit of darkness from a space. Since Lakshmi Puja falls on the new moon — ‘Amavasya’ —the pitch-black darkness of the sky is substituted by the lamp. This Lakshmi Puja extinguishes the darkness of your life by lighting up a lamp.
5 GRIPPING FACTS ABOUT GODDESS LAKSHMI
The Goddess of wealth
Goddess Lakshmi is described as the true source of prosperity and fortune in Hinduism.
The golden skin
Goddess Lakshmi’s skin is always painted gold to present her position as a ‘boon giver’ to her devotees.
The red symbolism
Goddess Lakshmi is always dressed in red color, which depicts her blood-like constant movements and fluidity.
The currency claim
Currency or fortune in Hinduism is referred to as ‘Lakshmi.’
The October glory
Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped throughout the year — with special puja sessions in October.
WHY LAKSHMI PUJA IS IMPORTANT
It marks a new beginning
Deepawali and Lakshmi Puja are Hindu festivals that serve as a reset button. As the family members come around and chant to the Goddess’s honor, new ledgers and accountancy books are put at the idol’s feet for blessings. It’s a transcendent experience that propels people forward into the next phase of their life.
It’s a hope for a better tomorrow
Lakshmi Puja brings new optimism and promise to the Hindu community. As devotees gather around to worship the goddess, there’s a prayer to absolve the sins of the past and to fill the future with wealth and fortune.
It brings everyone together
Lakshmi Puja is a part of the five-day Deepawali celebration, which brings everyone together. Long-distance distance relatives travel home to celebrate the festival with their kin, and sweets/gifts are exchanged with the neighbors and communities. It is the biggest Hindu festival of the year.
