Varalakshmi Vratam 2026: Date, Puja Vidhi, Story & Mantra
Varalakshmi Vratam 2026 (Friday 21 August): Sri Maha Lakshmi worship — significance, the kalasham & toram puja vidhi, the Charumati katha, mantra and diaspora guide.
Varalakshmi Vratam 2026 (Friday 21 August): Sri Maha Lakshmi worship — significance, the kalasham & toram puja vidhi, the Charumati katha, mantra and diaspora guide.
Varalakshmi Vratam is the marquee festival of Shravana for women — the day to worship Sri Maha Lakshmi, the boon-granting (vara) form of the Goddess. In 2026 it falls on Friday, 21 August. It is a highlight of Shravana Masam 2026.
Varalakshmi Vratam 2026 Date
- Date: Friday, 21 August 2026 (Friday before Sravana Purnima)
- Deity: Sri Maha Lakshmi (Varalakshmi)
- Abroad: kept on the local Friday; the same Gregorian day worldwide
Significance
"Vara" means a boon. Varalakshmi is the form of Lakshmi who grants the eight kinds of wealth (Ashta Lakshmi) — health, prosperity, progeny, courage and more. Married women keep this vratam for the long life and welfare of their husband and family; worshipping Varalakshmi is said to equal worshipping all eight Lakshmis.
Story & Katha
In the katha, Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva for a vratam that women could keep for prosperity and welfare; Shiva taught her the Varalakshmi Vratam. The Skanda Purana also tells of Charumati, a devout woman to whom Varalakshmi appeared in a dream and instructed the vratam; through it she and her town were blessed with abundance.
Puja Vidhi
- Clean the space and set a kalasham — a pot with rice, topped by a coconut and mango leaves, decorated as the face of the Goddess.
- Prepare the toram: a thread with nine knots/turmeric; worship and tie it on the right wrist.
- Offer kumkum, turmeric, flowers, bangles and naivedya (payasam, sweet pongali).
- Recite the Sri Suktam and Varalakshmi Ashtottara, then do aarti and distribute prasadam to sumangalis.
Mantra
Lakshmi: ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः · oṃ śrīṃ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ · ఓం శ్రీం మహాలక్ష్మ్యై నమః — chant 108 times; recite the Sri Suktam.
How the Diaspora Keeps Varalakshmi Vratam
Telugu associations and Lakshmi temples across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, the UAE and Germany hold Varalakshmi pujas, and families keep the vratam at home on 21 August with a kalasham, toram and the Sri Suktam — fully apartment-friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Varalakshmi Vratam 2026?
Varalakshmi Vratam falls on Friday, 21 August 2026 — the Friday before Sravana Purnima.
Who keeps the Varalakshmi Vratam?
Mainly married women (sumangalis), who worship Sri Maha Lakshmi for the wellbeing, health and prosperity of their family.
What is the kalasham in Varalakshmi puja?
A pot (kalasham) topped with a coconut and mango leaves, decorated as the face of the Goddess, is the focus of worship, with the sacred toram (9-knot thread) tied on the wrist.
What is the main mantra?
Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah, the Sri Suktam and the Lakshmi/Varalakshmi Ashtottara Shatanamavali.
Key Takeaways
- Varalakshmi Vratam 2026: Friday, 21 August.
- Sri Maha Lakshmi — the boon-granting Goddess; kept by married women.
- Worship a kalasham, tie the toram, recite the Sri Suktam.
