Nagpur: The three-day Mahalaxmi puja forms an integral part of the 10-day Ganesh festival. It is unique to this part of the state for its grandeur and scale of celebrations. Held under three varied nakshatras, the aavahan is done in the Aniruddha nakshatra, puja under the Jayeshtha nakshatra and visarjan in Mool nakshatra.“There is a lot of mystery around how this ritual came about,” says astrologer Prabodh Vekhende. “Two forms of Mahalaxmi Jayeshtha and Kanishtha are worshipped. Kanishtha is Laxmi and Jayeshtha is believed to be her sister who shares the same stature as that of Laxmi during this festival,” Vekhende says and adds, “The actual sentiment is to remain neutral in the presence of both Laxmi the goddess of wealth and her sister who represents lack of wealth.”Fear underlies most of the rituals which are strict and have to be adhered with utmost sanctity. “The prasad does not go out of the house and only family members have to eat it. A pit is formed to wash hands so that even the remains of the food do not flow out,” he says.Though Mahalaxmi is celebrated across the state but its grandest form is seen in Vidarbha which was a prosperous region of zamindars in the bygone era. “Meal is served to masses as it is customary to feed as many people as possible during the puja,” Vekhende says.Agreeing that the rituals are very intense, homemaker Shobha Saradkar, who has been performing the puja for 25 years, says, “Preparations begin a month ahead in my home. I do everything, right from buying clothes, dressing the goddesses and preparing prasad.” Saradkar says that she relies on nobody when it comes to preparing fulora the prasad placed at the altar. “There is no fear while performing these rituals as I believe that the goddess herself guides me,” she says.

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