In Nepal, Lakshmi Puja is celebrated on the third day of Tihar, a five-day festival that culminates on Bhai Tika.
One of the most popular and enduring Hindu deities, the goddess Lakshmi symbolizes good luck. The word Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksya, meaning "aim" or "goal," and in the Hindu faith, she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity of all forms, both material and spiritual.
Lakshmi is said to be the daughter of the mother goddess Durga. and the wife of Vishnu.
In some parts of India, Lakshmi Puja takes place on the full moon in the month of Ashwin. Often called Kojagari Lakshmi Puja or Bengali Lakshmi Puja, this version is more closely related to Durga Puja than Diwali.
Traditions of Laxmi Puja
On Lakshmi Puja, people buy gold and silver, precious gemstones, new utensils of copper, brass, and bronze as a sign of good luck, prosperity, money and wealth. After lighting their houses with candles and lamps, these valuables are then used in the evening to worship Lakshmi.
The lighting of the candles comes from the epic story of Ramayana. In the story, which recounts the legend of Lord Rama's battle with the demon Ravana, Sita is the wife of Lord Rama. Hindus believe Sita is an incarnation of Lakshmi. The story tells us that Rama had been cast out of his rightful kingdom, and had gone to live in a forest with his wife and brother. Ravana then abducted Sita from the forest
After Rama defeated Ravana to rescue Sita, as celebrated on the festival of Dussehra (Dashain), he returned home with Sita and his brother Lakshman. To help them find their way back home in the dark, people lit candles. In honour of this, on Laxmi Puja, people light candles in their homes to guide Lakshmi, in the hope that she will bestow good fortune on their home for the coming year.
