Editing Lakshmi (section)

===Festivals===
Many Hindus worship Lakshmi on [[Diwali|Deepavali]] (Diwali), the festival of lights.<ref>{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8HhVcspIBU4C&pg=PA179|title = Invisible River: Sir Richard's Last Mission|first = Zak|last = Vera|quote = "First Diwali day called ''Dhanteras'' or wealth worship. We perform Laskshmi-Puja in evening when clay diyas lighted to drive away shadows of evil spirits."|access-date = 26 October 2011|isbn=978-1-4389-0020-9|date = February 2010| publisher=AuthorHouse |archive-date = 26 December 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181226115252/https://books.google.com/books?id=8HhVcspIBU4C&pg=PA179|url-status = live}}</ref> It is celebrated in autumn, typically October or November every year.<ref>"[https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/166786/Diwali Diwali]." ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2009. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114050823/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/166786/Diwali|date=14 November 2012}}</ref> The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair.<ref name="ReferenceA">Mead, Jean. ''How and why Do Hindus Celebrate Divali?'' {{ISBN|978-0-237-53412-7}}.</ref>

[[File: Diwali in Sri Lanka Culture and Sights.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|left|Deepavali celebrations include [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] (prayers) to Lakshmi and Ganesha. Lakshmi is of the Vaishnavism tradition, while Ganesha of the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism.{{sfn|Om Lata Bahadur|2006|pp=92–93}}{{sfn|Kinsley|1988|pp=33–34}}]]
Before the night of [[Diwali|Deepavali]], people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices.<ref name="Raat">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6A9EZRQIT9kC&q=lamps+kept+on+diwali+lakshmi&pg=PA109|title=Meri Khoj Ek Bharat Ki |author=Pramodkumar|quote=It is extremely important to keep the house spotlessly clean and pure on Diwali. Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. They are believed to light up her path.|access-date=26 October 2011|isbn=978-1-4357-1240-9 |date=March 2008|publisher=Lulu.com |archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804143023/https://books.google.com/books?id=6A9EZRQIT9kC&pg=PA109&dq=lamps+kept+on+diwali+lakshmi |url-status=live}}</ref> On the night of Deepavali, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfits, light up [[Diya (light)|diya]]s (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, and participate in family ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (prayers) typically to Lakshmi. After the [[Lakshmi Puja]], fireworks follow,<ref name="Firecracker1">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ni2z5Z35htkC&pg=PA54 |title=Big Book of Canadian Celebrations|first=Ruth |last=Solski|publisher=S&S Learning Materials |quote=Fireworks and firecrackers are set off to chase away evil spirits, so it is a noisy holiday too.|access-date=26 October 2011|year=2008|isbn=978-1-55035-849-0|archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804075537/https://books.google.com/books?id=ni2z5Z35htkC&pg=PA54|url-status=live}}</ref> then a family feast including ''[[Mithai (confectionery)|mithai]]'' (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Deepavali also marks a major shopping period, since Lakshmi connotes auspiciousness, wealth and prosperity.<ref name=wsj>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130421024513/http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/08/23/india-journal-tis-the-season-to-be-shopping/ India Journal: 'Tis the Season to be Shopping] Devita Saraf, The Wall Street Journal (August 2010)</ref> This festival dedicated to Lakshmi is considered by Hindus to be one of the most important and joyous festivals of the year.

A very sacred day for the worship of Goddess Lakshmi falls on [[Chaitra]] Shukla Panchami, also called, ''Lakshmi Panchami'', Shri Panchami, Kalpadi and Shri Vrata. As this worship is in the first week of the Hindu new year, by [[Hindu calendar]], it is considered very auspicious.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/lakshmi-panchami-2021-date-significance-time-puja-1791614-2021-04-16|title=Lakshmi Panchami 2021: Date, significance, time, puja|website=India Today|date=16 April 2021 }}</ref> [[Varalakshmi Vratam]] is celebrated by married Hindu women to pray for the well-being of their husbands.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fieldhouse |first=Paul |title=Food, feasts, and faith : an encyclopedia of food culture in world religions |date=2017 |isbn=978-1-61069-411-7 |location=Santa Barbara, California |pages=263 |oclc=959260516}}</ref>

[[Gaja]] [[Lakshmi Pujan|Lakshmi Puja]] is another autumn festival celebrated on [[Sharad Purnima]] in many parts of India on the full-moon day in the month of [[Ashvin]] (October).<ref name=joneskoja/> [[Sharad Purnima]], also called Kojaagari Purnima or Kuanr Purnima, is a [[harvest festival|harvest festival marking]] the end of [[monsoon]] season. There is a traditional celebration of the moon called the ''Kaumudi celebration'', Kaumudi meaning moonlight.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sharad Poornima |url=http://www.indif.com/nri/festivals/sharad_poornima.asp|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229173010/http://www.indif.com/nri/festivals/sharad_poornima.asp|archive-date=29 December 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> On Sharad Purnima night, goddess Lakshmi is thanked and worshipped for the harvests. Vaibhav Lakshmi [[Vrata]] is observed on Friday for prosperity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/hindu-mythology/observe-vaibhav-laxmi-fast-on-friday-for-prosperity/articleshow/70390018.cms|title=Observe Vaibhav Laxmi fast on Friday for prosperity - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=26 July 2019 |access-date=2019-12-13|archive-date=29 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229124255/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/hindu-mythology/observe-vaibhav-laxmi-fast-on-friday-for-prosperity/articleshow/70390018.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>