The day next to Shravana Shukravara Pooja is Shravana Shanivara Gowri / Lakshmi Pooja also known as Sampath Shanivara Gowri / Lakshmi Pooja. This pooja / vratha / religious observance is performed on all the Saturdays of Shravana. For the dates click here.
Perform pooja to the same Sampath Gadige / pot after removing the previous days flowers and Gejjevastra. Perform thuppada / ghee aarathi.
Prepare Ambali / rice gruel and Soppina Palya / leafy vegetable dish for naivedya / blessed food.
Legend associated with this festival:
Once upon a time there lived a Brahmin called Somesha Bhatta with his wife and sons. The queen visited their house one day and as it was Sampath Shanivara Pooja day they had prepared Ambali and Soppina palya. The Queen sat through the pooja and saw them offer the humble dishes of Ambali and Soppina Palya as Naivedya to god. She laughed and mocked at them and left the house. In a few days time, the neighboring King waged a war against them and tried to imprison the king. The King and Queen ran away from the kingdom into the forests. The queen who was 9 months pregnant got into labor and delivered twin girls. She placed the babies on a banana leaf and prayed to god to take care of them and followed her husband.
Somesha Bhatta had come into the forest to pluck flowers and was surprised to see the babies. He took them home to his wife who was pining for girl children. They name them Sayakka and Dhyeyakka. They take care of them lovingly like their own children.
When they reach marriageable age they married Sayakka to a King and Dhyeyakka to a minister. While sending them to their respective homes Somesha Bhatta and his wife reminds them to perform Shravana Shukravara Lakshmi / Gowri pooja and Shravana Shanivara Lakshmi / Gowri pooja as the goddess is someone who graciously protects and bestows prosperity and health.
Rich Sayakka forgot to do the pooja and hence her husband lost his kingdom and the King was held prisoner. With four sons she lived in penury and was extremely worried and sad.
Dhyeyakka continued to follow her parent’s advice and performed the pooja every year and was living happily. Sayakka sent her son one by one to Dhyeyakka’s house. Dhyeyakka treated them lovingly and gave them money and sent them home but every time the careless sons lost the money. At last Sayakka herself came to Dhyeyakka’s house. That day was Shravanan Shukravara Pooja, they performed the pooja together with a lot of devotion and did aarathi and feasted on holige and payasa. They chatted and caught up with one another and slept peacefully.
The next day being Shravana Shanivara Gowri / Lakhsmi pooja, Dhyeyakka was busy preparing Ambali and Soppina Palya. Sayakka peeped into the kitchen and was extremely angry seeing the humble food being prepared and assumed that as she was poor, her sister was preparing poor man’s food. Seeing her sister’s displeasure Dhyeyakka reminded Sayakka that it was Shravana Shanivara Gowri / Lakshmi pooja and reminded her about the procedure of the pooja.
Sayakka realized her flaw and apologized. Both the sisters prayed to goddess Lakshmi / Gowri for forgiveness. Sayakka went back home and started performing the pooja without fail. Gradually her imprisoned husband was released and they got back their kingdom. They also meet their real parents and all of them live happily ever after by the grace of Goddess Lakshmi / Gowri.
For festival food recipes click here.
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