Goddess Padmavati Devi: the most celebrated form of Goddess Lakshmi

Hinduism revolves around the holy trinity- Lord Brahma (the creator), Lord Vishnu (the preserver),
and Lord Shiva (the destroyer). These three and their respective partners; Goddess Saraswati,
Goddess Lakshmi, and Goddess Parvati are believed to restore the cosmic balance. They are
manifested and venerated under different incarnations, forms, and avatars.
Goddess Lakshmi among these deities is the goddess of power, wealth, and fortune. She is the
consort of Lord Vishnu, and one of her most widely known avatars is that of Goddess Padmavati. She
is the wife of Lord Srinivasa, also known as Balaji and Venkateswara. Where Lord Srinivasa forms the
main lord of the Balaji temple of Tirupati, his consort gets revered in the temple of Padmavati
Ammavari temple, situated in Tiruchanur. It is believed in Hinduism that a pilgrimage is incomplete if
a devotee does not pay homage at this shrine before visiting the temple of Tirumala Venkateswara
temple. Her temple is one of the most sacred sites of South India.

Origin of Goddess Padmavati
The word Padmavati in Sanskrit means “she who arose from a lotus”. In south India, she is also
known as Alarmelmangai (young lady seated on a lotus) in Tamil and Alamelumanga in Telugu. The
mythology supports her as a daughter of a normal king, who later on became one of the respected
Hindu deities. The most prevalent story says that Goddess Lakshmi could not stand the words uttered
by sage Brighu for her consort. And as a result, she left Vaikunta and took birth as a daughter
(Padmavati) to a Tondainmandalam king called Akash Raja. In Padma Purana, there has been an
excellent description of the origin of Goddess Padmavati and her marriage to Lord Venkateswara. She
is manifested on Shukla Paksha Panchami in the Karthika month. The religious festival associated
with the Goddess is known as “Brahmotsavam”. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show
among her devotees.

Significance of worshipping Goddess Padmavati
Goddess Padmavati is shown to be sitting regally and carrying lotuses in her upper hands. The lower
two hands are kept in protective Abhaya mudra and varada mudra. Padmavati temple in south India
is visited by many devotees every day. Numerous ceremonies are held here to pay devotion to the
Goddess. The sacred union or wedding of the Goddess with Lord Shrinivasa is a celebrated ritual of
the temple, which is performed every day. Various devotees from across India come here to pray for
her blessings to lead a blissful life. According to some religious leaders, one can enjoy wealth and
abundance by worshipping the Goddess. Devotees will achieve financial improvements in their lives.
She is venerated as her blessings remove all the obstacles that are obstructing one’s prosperity and
fortune. She is believed to help her devotees to avoid sorrows and any other misfortune. By
conducting the homam, one can get rid of the negativities and bad effects of the doshas.

Brahmotsavam: The festival of Goddess Padmavati
Brahmotsavam is the grand festival that is associated with celebrating the Goddess Padmavati. This is celebrated with great fervor and devotion for the Goddess. This Auspicious occasion is enjoyed for 10 days and thousands and millions of pilgrims pay a visit to the holy shrine of Goddess Padmavati on this day. People from across the globe pay their devotion to the Goddess and conduct puja at their places to commemorate the Goddess. This festival of Brahmotsavam is observed in the month of November-December (or Karthigai month of the Hindu calendar). On this day, processions of Goddess Padmavati are carried around the temple in different mounts with the worshippers chanting
prayers and praises for the Goddess. This is a very sacred day, and worshippers visit her temple in multitudes to receive her blessings.
This year, this festival will be celebrated on 23RD, October 2023.