Varalakshmi Vratham 2021 Date, Timings, and Puja Vidhanam

Varalakshmi Vratham 2021 will be observed on Friday, August 20, 2021 this year. The festival of Varalakshmi Vratham falls in the month of Shravana (July–August) Shukla Paksha (bright half of the lunar month) on Shukravar (Friday). Varalakshmi is a goddess who grants boons ("Vara") to her devotees who keep faith on her. The festival of Varalakshmi is most popular in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharastra and Uttar Pradesh.


Varalakshmi Vratham 2021 Date, Timings

• Varalakshmi Vratam will be observed on Friday, August 20, 2021
• Simha Lagna Puja Muhurat (morning) - 05:53 AM to 07:59 AM
• Vrishchika Lagna Puja Muhurat (afternoon) - 12:35 PM to 02:54 PM
• Kumbha Lagna Puja Muhurat (evening) - 06:40 PM to 08:07 PM
• Vrishabha Lagna Puja Muhurat (midnight) - 11:07 PM to 01:03 AM, August 21

Once when Mother Parvati asked Lord Shiva to explain about a vrat that can confer the greatest of merits to the observers, Lord Shiva shared the information about Varalakshmi Vratham thereby making this one of the most beneficial kinds of vrathams observed.

Though this vratham does not require elaborate preparations and ceremonies, when observed diligently, it can confer great benefits including health, wealth, happiness, long life, social status, success and others. The principal deity of this vratham is Varalakshmi meaning a manifestation of Lakshmi that grants boons to the devotees. Observing Varalakshmi Vrtham is equivalent to worshipping Ashtalakshmis (eight different forms of Lakshmi).

The Beginnings of Varalakshmi Vratham
Once there lived a highly pious and devout housewife named Charumathi. Pleased with her steadfastness and virtues, once Mahalakshmi appeared in her dream and directed her to observe the Varalakshmi Vratham. Charumathi made all the preparations, invited her neighbours, friends and relatives and performed the puja as directed. At the completion of the puja, all those participated were blessed with wealth and prosperity.

Puja Procedure of Varalakshmi Vratham Puja Vidhi
Fasting on this day ends with sunrise and closes with the sunset. On the dedicated day, wake up very early in the morning, take bath and clean the house. Set up a puja altar and install a sacred pot also called as Kalasam. This is decorated with flowers, turmeric powder, sandal paste and vermilion. Usually, the images of Varalakshmi Devi are available in shops, which are bought and fixed in this sacred pot. You my deck the kalasam with jewels and cloth too.
Place the kalasam on some rice spread on a banana leaf. Puja is done with fresh flowers and grains starting with Ganapati Puja and Varalakshmi Puja. During the puja, yellow threads with nine knots are placed in front of the altar and done puja. Offerings are made and arati is performed. At the end of the puja, the yellow thread is tied to the wrists of the people who participate in the puja. This is believed to confer the blessings of Varalakshmi.

The dishes that you can prepare for offering during the puja include boiled legumes, jaggery sweets, rice flour porridge and others. The offerings can be made in a banana leaf and placed in front of the deity during the puja. Later, these prasadam are distributed to the invitees, children and married ladies.

The people observing vratham should partake only the prasad and remain fasting till the evening. In the evening, a concluding puja is performed culminating with arati and then the devotees conclude the vratham partaking the food. In the evening, married ladies are invited to the home and some gifts are given to them.

Varalakshmi vratham is one of the most powerful observances since it has been narrated by Lord Shiva himself. Those who observe this vratham shall feel relieved from their sorrows and sufferings and get relieved from financial difficulties. Tranquillity and harmony shall prevail at the home.