- Varamahalakhmi nombu/Vara Lakshmi nombu is celebrated during Shravana maasa(Aug),Friday usually and a day prior to full moon day..
- The festival usually begins a day prior to the actual celebration by decorating the home with maavilai and thoranam(leaves from Mango tree is used to decorate the Kalash, the sacred pot where the goddess is kept).
- Prior day is dedicated to inviting the goddess to one's home.. Beautiful rangoli is made, the goddess is then invited and Kalash (sac...red pot) is placed on a plate lined with banana leaf and rice.. The kalash usually contains little rice, lemon, arca nut, beetal leaf, gold ornaments and some coins..Then a bunch of mango leaves are placed on the top and finally turmeric smeared coconut with kudumi is placed.. The goddess is then made to sit on the kalash.. Venpongal, jaggery, sambhar and fryums are made as offerings to goddess and it is shared amongst relatives.The customs may vary across and as per one's family traditions.
- On the day of the actual nombu, the goddess is decorated well with flowers especially thaazhambu. Pooja is done.. Sacred thread called Saradu is also kept on the feet of goddess and once after the pooja,women wear it on their neck..
- Vara means boon, so this festival signifies that the goddess gives abundance of wealth and health to one's family.. Praying Varamahalakshmi is similar to praying ashtalakshmi.
- Usually raw rice idli, sweet and savoury modakams are made as neivedhyam to goddess. This may also vary as per one's custom..
- On the third day, harathi is done for the goddess and she is kept inside the rice drum and prayers are made to her, to come to one's home every year...
- Aug 24th,2018 is Varalakshmi nombu.Happy Varalakshmi nombu to all .
PS:During wedding the bride's family give amman mugam when she leaves for her in-law's place and only this amman mugam is kept in Kalash.
