Check here to know Varalakshmi Vratam Timings  and the general facts about the Vrat.

For the Story click here

We will see the rituals that are followed during the festival. You can also add rituals that you follow in the comments session.

Rituals of the Varalakshmi Vrat

1. The preparation for the Varalakshmi vrat starts from the day prior to observing the vrat that is a Thursday. All the essentials required for the puja are assembled a day before.
2. On the day of Varalakshmi vrat, Friday, the devotees rise early in the morning and get ready after taking the bath. The favorable time for getting up in the morning for the puja is ‘Brahma Muhurtham’, the time just prior to sunrise.
3. After finishing the morning rituals, the devotees clean the house and the surrounding area and beautiful ‘kolam’ (rangoli) (they also draw a Aishwarya kolam)is decorated at the site of puja. (learn why and where to draw Aishwarya kolam – Its Significance)
4. The next step is the preparation of the ‘Kalasha’. You can either select a silver or bronze pot. It is meticulously cleaned and smeared with sandalwood paste. A ‘swastika’ symbol is then drawn on the Kalasha. The Kalasha is then filled with water or raw rice, one lime, coins, beetle nut and five different kinds of leaves. The choice of items used for filling inside the ‘Kalasham’ pot varies from region to region. In some places even turmeric, black beads, mirror, small black bangles or comb is used for filling the pot.
5. The neck of the Kalasha is then covered with a clean cloth and the mouth is covered with mango leaves in the end, a coconut daubed with turmeric is used to cover the mouth of the Kalasha. On the coconut, a picture of Goddess Lakshmi is stuck or drawn with turmeric powder. The Kalasha is now a symbolic representation of Goddess Varalakshmi and it is worshiped with full devotion.
6. This Kalasha is placed on a heap of rice. The devotees start the puja by first worshiping Lord Ganesha. The puja starts by chanting the slokas like ‘Lakshmi Sahasranamam’ in the praise of Goddess Lakshmi. Special sweets are made at home as offerings. In the southern states, Pongal is also offered as Prasad. Finally aarti is performed on the Kalasha. During the puja, the women must also tie a yellow thread around their hands.
7. In some places, a mirror is also placed behind the Kalasham. Readymade Kalasha pots are also available in the markets for use during the Varalakshmi Vrat.
8. The women observing Varalakshmi Vrat must abstain from eating specific kinds of foods. This however varies from region to region. In some places, the observer of this vrat must fast until the end of the puja ceremony.
9. On Saturday, the day after puja, the devotees take a bath and then dismantle the Kalasha used for puja. The water inside the Kalasha is sprinkled all over the house and the rice, is mixed with the rice stored in the house.