Laxmi Puran

The Lakshmi (Laxmi) Purana is a purana written in the 15th century by Balarama Dasa, a major poet of Oriya literature who is often considered the senior most poet in the Age of Panchasakha.

In this Purana, once the Goddess Lakshmi visited Shriya, a scavenger low caste woman, for which Balarama, the elder brother of Jagannatha (Lord Vishnu) got angry with Lakshmi, and she was turned out from Jagannatha Temple of Puri, one of the four most sacred place 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.

It is perhaps the first attempt in India towards feminism and casteism. The Purana describes the social structures and gender inequality persisting in the society. It is also a protest against male hegemony. Lakshmi was thrown out of her home by her husband. But it also gives a guideline for the women to perform their duties and responsibilities honestly. This Purana starts a feministic movement in Odisha India as a ritual form of Lakshmi Puja or worship of the Goddess Lakshmi.

In Odisha, Lakshmi Purana is considered as a sacred text in every household. In several parts of Odisha, and the neighboring regions in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and the Srikakulam area of Andhra Pradesh, women perform a special one-month-long Lakshmi Puja in the Hindu month of Margasirsha or Agrahayana. The Lakshmi Puja (Mana osha) is celebrated weekly on every Thursday of that month, and mostly the females worship Goddess Lakshmi with all rituals. Jay Jagannath, Jay Maa Lakshmi.

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