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Goddess Lakhsmi

Divine stories



This story talks about many social issues like .....Dark side of Casteism

Monopoly of higher class and powerful male ,Patriarchy ,Feminism ,Woman Empowerment ,Social Equality and many such issues.


Being the Goddess of wealth, Devi Lakhsmi asked his husband Jagannatha if she could roam around the houses and see if people were properly worshipping her during her own festival or not. Jagannatha being an typical Indian husband asked her to cook his favourite dishes and then she could go wherever she wants. So Lakhsmi devi prepared food accordingly and then went out. She cook 56 bhojan for her husband.



But she was disappointed to see people were not actually cleaning or worshipping her in proper manner. 

Suddenly she found the house of a Chandaluni( lower caste woman), who had organised her home neat and clean and was worshipping Lakhsmi with all her heart. 



Devi Lakhsmi was so pleased that she personally went to her house and blessed her with enormous wealth and prosperity.

On the other hand Lord Balaram who is the elder brother of Lord Jaganntha and also the head of the house( Puri temple) saw Laxmi entering to the house of that lower caste Chandaluni. He couldn't tolerate the fact that Lakhsmi being the Queen of Shrimandir ( Puri Temple) and Goddess herself, did enter into such a lowlife person's Hut. He got furious and asked Jagannatha to leave Lakhsmi as soon as possible. According to him by entering into a lowecaste person's house, Lakhsmi herself had become a lower caste woman. Stigma of it's time and untouchability at it's peak.

Jagannatha, again being the typical Indian husband didn't stand for Lakhsmi and asked her to leave the temple. Devi Lakhsmi first tried a lot to make them understand. But they didn't listen, hence she got furious. She cursed them to become poor and roam around for food like beggar. 



Then she left the temple and stayed away in a separate house built by Lord Vishwakarma on her request.

When the Goddess of Wealth left the temple, the temple lost all it's wealth and credibility eventually. Both Lord Jagannatha and Balabhadra had to literally beg for food and get humiliated every possible way for around twelve years. 



Finally they knocked the door of Lakhsmi unknowingly. Godess  didn't show up, but she cooked food for them.


She ordered her maids invite them with respect and say to sit on asana for bhojan. Godess served them through her maids.

After both God finished their food, Godess lakhsmi called Jaganntha and said that finally they also have lost their precious caste, as she being a Lower caste person feed them.


By that time both Lord Jaganntha and Balabhadra did understand her point of view. They apologised and requested her to come back. But Devi Lakhsmi put a condition to come back that their temple Puri would be open to people from any caste be it Bramhin( the highest class) or be it Chandal ( the lowest caste). Jagannatha hapiliy agreed to her condition and she came back with all lost wealth and prosperity.

Since then Puri temple is open for people from all caste. Since then the Prasad in Puri temple is not considered as sankudi( leftover).

This story convert into " Lakhsmi Purana " written in the 15th century by Balarama Dasa, a major poet of Odia literature who is often considered the senior most poet in the Age of Panchasakha.
He beautifully wrote how in  fifteenth century also an woman taking about her own rights . Isn't it truely feministic 
This powerful folklore is so much popular in Odia households that people recite examples from it in day to day life. It's more adopted by women as every year during the month of Margashira masa( Nov-Dec), they observe Manavasa Gurubaara, where Lakhsmi purana is read every week by every women.



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