Vara Lakshmi puja

Lakshmi is mainly worshiped in 8 forms, the Ashtalakshmi. The eight manifestations of Goddess Mahalakshmi include Sri Aadhi lakshmi the Goddess of health, Sri Dhanya lakshmi the Goddess of food, Sri Dhairya lakshmi the Goddess of courage, Sri Gaja lakshmi the Goddess of luck, Sri Santhana Lakshmi the Goddess of children, Sri Dhana lakshmi the Goddess of wealth, Sri Vijaya lakshmi the Goddess of victory and Sri Vidya lakshmi the Goddess of education.Varalakshmi vrutham is celebrated on August 12th Friday in South India. Women observe the vrutham and do Lakshmi puja for the welfare of the family.

Previous day the house is cleaned and preparations for the puja is done. Waking up in the Brahma Muhoortham, taking bath, with a 'kolam' in front, they keep the Kalash. A bronze or silver pot is selected and is cleaned thoroughly and a swastika symbol is drawn and is smeared with sandalwood paste. The kalasham pot is filled with raw rice or water, coins, a single whole lime, five different kinds of leaves, and beetle nut. The items used to fill the kalasham vary from region to region and includes turmeric, comb, mirror, small black bangles and black beads. The things a sumangali use as adornment are used.
The kalasham up to the neck is sometimes covered with a cloth and mango leaves are placed on the mouth of the kalasham. Finally, a coconut smeared with turmeric is used to close the mouth of the kalasham. To this coconut, an image of Goddess Lakshmi is fixed or the image of Lakshmi is drawn using turmeric powder. Now the kalasham symbolically represents Goddess Lakshmi. Kalasham is kept on a plate of rice.
Lord Ganesha is worshipped first and Aarti is done singing Lakshmi stotrams. Various sweets are offered and then distributed as 'prasadam'. The next day, that is on Saturday, after taking a bath the kalasham is dismantled and the water in the kalasham is sprinkled in the house.
VaraLakshmi is the boon granting Goddess Lakshmi..She is worshiped by all Hindus for prosperity.