Laxmi Puran

Balarama Dasa, a major poet of Oriya literature, and considered as the senior most poet in the Age of Panchasakha wrote the Lakshmi Purana in the 15th century .[1]

Synopsis of Lakshmi Purana

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.

Premier of Feminist Movement

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.

Popularity of Lakshmi Purana

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.

Bollywood movie based on Lakshmi Purana

Jai Jagannatha (Oriya: ଜୟ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, Hindi: जय़ जगन्नाथ, Bengali: জয় জগন্নাথ, Assamese: জয জগন্নাথ, Punjabi: ਜਯ ਜਗੰਨਾਥ, Gujarati: જય જગન્નાથ, Telugu: జయ జగన్నాథ, Tamil: ஜய ஜகநாத, Malayalam: ജയ ജഗനാഥ) is a 2007 Indian multilingual mythological film directed by Sabyasachi Mohapatra, released in 15 languages. Besides Oriya and Hindi, it was released in English, Bengali, Assamese, Chhattisgarhi, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Nepali languages. The story of Jai Jagannatha is based on the ancient Oriya scripture Lakshmi Puran.[2][3]

See also

Oriya Literature

Oriya language

Odisha

Jai Jagannatha

References

  1. ↑ Mansingha, Mayadhar (1962) History of Oriya literature Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi,
  2. ↑ http://www.realbollywood.com/2006/11/oriya-movie-jai-jagannath-creates-history.html
  3. ↑ Jai Jagannatha

External links

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