Manabasa Gurubara

Manabasa Gurubara
Observed by	Hindu
Type	Hindu
Observances	Lakshmi Puja
Begins	Margasira Month Thursday
Frequency	annual

Manabasa Gurubara is a festival of Hindus and celebrated mostly by the people of the Indian state of Odisha. In this puja Goddess Lakshmi is the presiding deity. It is believed by the people that the goddess herself comes to every household and removes pain and sorrow. It is held on every Thursday of Margasira month.^[1][2][3]

This is believed that Goddess lakshmi loves clean house so that all women make their houses clean and then makes it beautiful with jhoti chita.^[4] It is believed that the most beautiful house of the village will be visited by Goddess lakshmi and can get money and prosperity.

History

This festival is based on the Hindu mythology of Goddess Lakshmi in Laxmi Puran.^[5] In this Purana, once the Goddess Lakshmi visited Shriya, a scavenger Low caste woman, for which Balaram, the elder brother of Jagannath got angry with Lakshmi, and she was turned out from Jagannath Temple, Puri, one of the four most sacred places of Pilgrimage (Dham) of the Hindus. Lakshmi leaves the temple, and avenges the insult by cursing her husband and elder brother-in-law to go through a prolonged ordeal without food, water or shelter. The Purana raises voice against the evil practices of Untouchability in society. It also stresses importance on feminism, and empowers the female power to resist male hegemony. As per this Laxmi Puran, puja is performed for Goddess Lakshmi.^[6][7]

References

1. "In Pics: Manabasa Gurubar enters its third phase".
2. "Manabasa Gurubara" (PDF).
3. "Manabasa Gurubara".
4. "Jhooti , Gurubara Chitta - Rangoli :- A Symbol of Traditional Odia Culture : Margasira Masa Sesa Gurubar #Odisha #Festival #Odia". eodisha.org. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
5. "Lakhmi Puarana".
6. "Manabasa Gurubar – Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Thursday in Orissa Margasira".
7. "Laxmi Purana" (PDF).