Today is Varamahalakshmi Vritha Day. It is a day when women offer special prayers to Goddess Varamahalakshmi seeking good health wealth and prosperity for them and their families and long life for their husbands.

The festival is largely celebrated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and. It is celebrated on the last Friday of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashada.Mahalakshmi is the goddess of wealth, auspiciousness and prosperity

Those who observe the Vritha follow certain unique rituals. Early in the morning women after taking bath, make a rangoli on the place where the kalasha is placed. They draw a lotus with eight  petals. The sacred Kalasha (brass/copper/silver) filled with rice and topped with fresh mango leaves, a coconut and cloth are placed on the mandala and Lakshmi is invoked. Goddess is invoked by decorating the Kalasa with flowers, jewellery, new clothes,fruits, dry fruits, fresh grains,  sweets and savouries. Some place coins, or rupee notes or make a garland of notes. The Vratha is performed with the beginning of Puja to Lord Ganesha. Then the main worship of Varalakshmi begins.

The raksha or kankana is worshipped for a second time and tied to the right hand of the woman..In South India, savouries like obattu, kosumbari, puliyogare, huli anna, hesaru bele payasa are made on this festival. In the evening women visit other houses and exchange sweets and offerings.

There are several legends associated with the celebrations. It is said the importance or significance of the Varalakshmi Vrata  was narrated by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvathi in Skanda purana. There is a belief that those who perform this Vratam will be blessed with Dhana (food), Dhanya (food), Aayu (Long life), Aarogya (health), Aishwarya (wealth), Santhana (progeny) and Soubhagya (long life of husband).

According to the legend, once a lady named Charumath lived in the Maratha kingdom. Pious lady, she indulged in whole hearthed worship of the Goddess and took good care of her family – respectful to her in-laws, loving and caring her husband and children. One day she dreamt about Goddess Lakshmi telling her to perform the puja . She, with the consent of her family performed this Vratam and informs other ladies too. With the blessings of the Goddess she, her family and friends will be bestowed with success and wealth. Hence forth they shared their luck many more people.

Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is more sought after than Saraswati, the goddess of learning. As the power and consort of Vishnu, the preserver. According to the puranas, she was the incarnated daughter of the sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati. She was later born out of Ksheer Sagar (ocean of milk) while being churned. Hence, her appellation, Ksheera Samudra Raja Tanaya. As consort of Vishnu, she is born as his spouse whenever he incarnates. When Vishnu appeared as Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, she appeared as Padma or Kamala, Dharani, Sita and Rukmini. She is as inseparable from Vishnu as speech from meaning, or knowledge from intellect, or good deeds from righteousness

The festival is also celebrated with fervor in various temples in the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi as well as various organizations as well as households in the district.