Women Offer One Lakh Turmeric Knots At Lakshmi Ganapati Temple
Key Points:
- Andhra Samiti East Zone hosts first-ever Lakh Pasupu-Kumkum puja in Birsanagar
- 108 women collect one lakh turmeric knots for the Sawan ritual
- Organisers say event aims to preserve South Indian traditions
JAMSHEDPUR – A grand Lakh Pasupu-Kumkum puja was organised on Sunday at the Shri Lakshmi Ganapati Temple in Birsanagar, marking the holy South Indian month of Shravan. The event was conducted under the aegis of Andhra Samiti, East Zone.
The special religious ritual was held on the occasion of Shravan Ekadashi and was organised for the first time by the organisation. A large number of married women from the samiti took part in the ceremony.
They collectively offered prayers to Lord Shri Lakshmi Ganapati using one lakh turmeric knots as part of the ritual. However, the turmeric knots used in the puja were gathered in advance by 108 women working together for the occasion.
This form of worship, observed during Shravan in South Indian tradition, is considered to carry significant religious importance. The ritual is performed to seek prosperity, marital happiness, family wellbeing and overall auspiciousness for devotees.
The puja was conducted following Vedic chants and traditional customs associated with the ceremony. In addition, all the women who took part were given a special plate for the worship, containing bananas, turmeric, kumkum, turmeric lumps, betel leaves, betel nuts, Ganga water, green bangles and halwa.
Once the religious rituals were completed, prasad was distributed among the devotees and women present at the temple. Meanwhile, the event drew considerable participation from the local South Indian community residing in the area.
M. Raja Shekhar, president of the organisation, and K. Ram Mohan Rao, general secretary, said the objective of the event was to preserve South Indian religious and cultural traditions. They added that the celebration also aimed to promote spiritual awareness within society.
“This was the first time we organised the Lakh Pasupu-Kumkum puja on this scale,” Rao said. He thanked all devotees and women members for making the event successful, and said the cooperation of Andhra Samiti’s members had played a key role in the celebration.
Communities with South Indian roots settled in industrial townships such as Jamshedpur have, over the years, continued to observe such traditional rituals to preserve their cultural identity. Temples catering to specific regional and linguistic communities have become important gathering points for such observances in the city, alongside similar community-driven religious functions organised by other cultural associations, women’s groups and seasonal festivals across the city.
