Today is Onam and Vara Mahalakshmi pooja !

Beautiful photo Usha, I really love the way colorful flowers are used in Onam rangolis. Are those coconut flowers that are kept in the brass utensil next to the diya?? I have loved that display but never was sure of what those flowers were!

Forgot to add that today is Varad Lakshmi for us too as well as the regular Jara-Jivantika Poojan which is done on all days of Shravan month. Jara-Jeevantika or Goddess Jeevati is supposed to take care of and look after all babies, young children etc. and she is worshiped in all Maharashtrian homes.

It is an important festival in AP too. My home is filled with guests from the other apartments right now. Even the AP government declared as an official holiday on this occasion Varalaksmi Vratam.

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Beautiful photo Usha, I really love the way colorful flowers are used in Onam rangolis. Are those coconut flowers that are kept in the brass utensil next to the diya?? I have loved that display but never was sure of what those flowers were!

Yes it is coconut flowers taken fresh from the tree...Onam is a colorful and family oriented festival so there is a lot of joy and happiness , with the entire extended family coming together !

Vara Lakshmi Vratam as is known in AP is associated with health benefits. Women get up early and prepare Prasad of different kinds which will help in boosting the health. Preparations are a combination of nuts, green veggies using plenty of turmeric.

Both the festivals are the celebrations of prosperity and this year it happens on the same day. I wish the members of Boddunan a very Happy Onam and Happy Lakshmi Pooja…

Thank you. Let goddess Laksmi shower her blessing on you and your family.

RAMAKRISHNAN. A wrote:

Both the festivals are the celebrations of prosperity and this year it happens on the same day. I wish the members of Boddunan a very Happy Onam and Happy Lakshmi Pooja…

Wish you and your family the same too!

Here too there are lot of movements of women from one apartment to other exchanging Prasadams. The whole atmosphere is one of Festivity and happiness.

Onam is not celebrated here as there are no Malayalee families. In the entire Vizag there are very less number of Malayalees.

I wish you all the very best! Thanks a lot to Usha for sharing this visual delight!

Same to you. Let there be peace and prosperity in this occasion.

These pujas are known with different names in different states. But almost all the rituals connected with them are same. My hearty wishes to you on this auspicious occasion.

Greeting to all members on these auspicious festivals. I also wish all the best on Rakshabandhan festival falling tomorrow. 

Thank you sir. I wish you the same on this occasions Onam, Varalaksmi vratam and Raksha Bandhan.