Eso Maa Lokkhi
Azadi Ka Amrit MahotsavWriters’ Corner

Eso Maa Lokkhi

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Eso Maa Lokkhi

Prof (Dr) Shalini Verma ‘Lifoholic’

20th of October, 2021: Kojagiri Puja – also popularly known as Kojagiri Purnima or ‘Lokkhi or Lakshmi Puja’ – is an auspicious day dedicated to worshipping Maa Lakshmi during Purnima (full moon) in the month of ‘Ashwin’. Maa Lakshmi is known to be the Goddess of Prosperity and it is believed that on the day of ‘Ashwin Purnima’, Maa Lokkhi descends on Earth to abundantly bless all with prosperity and good health. The day of Kojagiri Puja is also referred as Sharad Purnima in some parts of the country.

Kojagiri Puja is celebrated to propitiate Goddess Lakshmi. The Purnima of the Ashwin month is believed to be the ‘Night of Awakening’ as Goddess Lakshmi comes to Earth to bless Her devotees. The celebration of Kojagara Puja also coincides with the harvest festival in the northern parts of the country.

The rituals of Kojagara Puja vary from community to community. In the states of West Bengal, Orissa and Assam, various offerings like ‘khichuri’, ‘taaler phopol’, ‘narkel bhaja’, ‘naru’ and some sweets are made to please the Goddess and seek Her divine blessings.

Eso Maa Lokkhi Bosho Ghore

Amare Ghore Thako Alo Kore…

In Mithila, an ancient cultural region of South Nepal and North India that lies between the lower ranges of the Himalayas and the Ganga River, celebration of Kojagiri Purnima is mainly done by newly-wed couples. Here, it is associated with Lakshmi Puja as well as Chandra Puja. The entire family of groom and bride stay up all night and do not close their doors awaiting moon light and goddess Lakshmi to arrive. It is believed that gods come to earth in the full moon night of Kojagra Purnima. As people have to be awake whole night, they play Pachhisi with Kauri (Cowrie shell). Besides, people in Mithila, distribute Paan (Betel leaf), Makhana (Fox nut) and sweets among family members.

In India, Maa Lakshmi is worshipped as the goddess of wealth, prosperity and fortune. She is the embodiment of love and beauty. She is seen clad in red clothes and adorned with gold jewellery. She has calm and soothing expressions.

Maa Lakshmi is also known as Shri. She chose Lord Vishnu as Her husband and resides with Him in Vaikuntha.

As per the legend, Maa Lakshmi was the daughter of Bhrigu Maharishi, one of the Saptarshis. She was reborn during the churning of the ocean during the great churning of Milky-Ocean, known as Kshir-Sagara. Shri Lakshmi incarnated as Goddess Sita and Goddess Radha along with Lord Rama and Lord Krishna incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

There are 8 forms of Maa Lakshmi – collectively known as Ashtalakshmi:

  • Adi Lakshmi – the primal mother goddess
  • Dhana Lakshmi – the one who showers wealth
  • Dhanya Lakshmi – the one who gives abundance of food/cereals
  • Gaja Lakshmi – the one who gives power and strength
  • Santana Lakshmi – the one who blesses with off-springs and progeny
  • Veera Lakshmi – the one who gives valor and courage
  • Vijaya Lakshmi – the one gives victory over all sort of enemies
  • Aishwarya Lakshmi – the one gives all sort of comforts and luxuries

It is significant to mention that Vijaya Lakshmi is also known as Jaya Lakshmi. The other forms of Goddess Lakshmi, which are also worshipped, include

  • Saubhagya Lakshmi
  • Rajya Lakshmi
  • Vara Lakshmi
  • Griha Lakshmi
  • Vaibhava Lakshmi
  • Bhagya Lakshmi

Apart from these 8 forms, Goddess Lakshmi is also worshipped in following Swaroops.

  • Vidya Lakshmi – the one who gives wisdom and knowledge
  • Saubhagya Lakshmi – the one who blesses with good luck
  • Rajya Lakshmi – the one who gives kingdom and property
  • Vara Lakshmi – the one who bestows boons
  • Dhairya Lakshmi – the one who gives patience

Eso Maa Lokkhi Bosho Ghore

Amare Ghore Thako Alo Kore…


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      “Pooja’s book ‘I See Tigers’ of the GEM series takes the readers into the delightful world of Gompa village. As we delve into the world of Gompa village, we are reminded of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) of Quality Education. The story exemplifies how quality education is not confined to textbooks and formal settings alone but extends to the exploration of the world around us, nurturing curiosity and celebrating our own rich heritage.”

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      “In the enchanting world of children's literature, let's embark on a remarkable journey alongside Katie’s book ‘Weber the Spider’. Through the pages of this captivating tale, you will witness the extraordinary odyssey of Weber as he travels from the majestic heights of the Himalayas to the sprawling plains and arid deserts of India.”

      “Explore 'Who Wants Roses': A captivating tale from the 'Grandma Earth Series', co-published by Books33 & SAMVAW Foundation. The message is conveyed in a very positive manner in Mahurkar's short story, 'Who Wants Roses?' where she uses the imagery of roses and lantana weed flowers in a garden. Through its unique storytelling pedagogy, the book sensitizes young minds aged 3-8 years to adopt sustainable living by embracing the principles of Mission LiFE & UN’s 17 SDGs”.

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      “The moral of each story in GEM series is very pertinent and deeply rooted in our all-inclusive culture and the theme of India's G20 presidency “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, that translates to “One Earth, One Family, One Future.” Indeed, a fun read for one and all!”

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      This picture book is such a delight to read. The book is beautifully illustrated with a good story line and strong vocabulary. I liked in this book is using the relations like ‘chachu’, ‘mamu’ and others which the kids are missing due to nuclear family... I must say the author has touched the chord of the heart with the sweet language used in the book..It’s a must read book for all the young kids.

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      This lovely book teaches you to think smart and not get carried away by appearances. Best wishes to Dr Monica Khanna for her amazing creation.

      Dr. Monica Khanna has come out with one more offering for you all. Such a wonderful and endearing story! It takes us to that time of our lives when we believed that everything around us is black or white. Childhood is so much fun and so full of innocence. The characters in this story are so believable, with human-like qualities. Kind, gentle, witty, intelligent, sharp, sly and so on... Each young reader will enjoy reading this story because it is so relatable. You can find people with such qualities all around you.

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      Katie Bagli’s new book promises to bring back the concert we have missed ever since the pandemic hit us. She beautifully weaves science and fiction, urging her young readers to learn about the techniques used by the wetland musicians - the grasshoppers, the katydids and the hawkmoths. Then there are the subtle values and undertones that make for great learning for children the vacation in nature, the loving aunt, the dutiful bee, or even the love for the garden insects.

      Katie Bagli’s stories are filled with wild imagination yet grounded in facts.She brings to life the mundane and often overlooked facts with wit and humour, in her stories, as also in ‘The Insect Concert’. Her characters are driven by a moral so subtle that children may hardly realize the important life values they are imbibing just by reading her books. Her stories are lessons in science and art as each panel bursts into vivacious colours and tickles the imagination of the young reader. Truly delightful and a must read for all.

      This book ‘Insect Concert’ by Katie Bagli is another gem from her treasure trove of stories about nature. Through a simple yet novel story, she manages to develop an interest in the animal kingdom and also provide a new learning. There are some activities too which children will enjoy. The illustrations add to the storyline and make the book more interesting for the young reader. I wish Katie more power to her pen.

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      An instant hit - With colorful illustrations and an engaging narrative, this playful nature book is perfect for curious toddlers. A Wormy Tale..an engaging, simple yet extraordinary new story from Katie Bagli, number one bestseller and fastest growing children’s author in the country

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      To be hired in today’s global marketplace, employers demand more than basic ‘hard’ skills. The difference between a frustrated candidate and a sought-after recruit, the long-term worker and a compelling leader, or the stagnant professional and the rising manager can be the ‘soft’ skills each exercises in the workplace. This highly researched book analyses the job environment of today and for the future where ‘soft’ skills become a more critical attribute. The reader gleans valuable guidance on how to acquire and improve these ‘soft’ skills for a more enriching career.

      Alpha Zone book – ‘Sunny Side Up’ - shows the variety of food that is present round the world. All of us know the common pizza or burger but there are many delicious dishes out there that many have not experienced. This book encourages us to be curious and to learn, enjoy and experience the art of the culinary skill.

      I’ve absolutely no hesitation in saying that even after working for 30+ years in Manufacturing and Education sectors, I was not able to correlate nonverbal communication skills of a person with his personality and credibility. But after getting in touch with Prof (Dr) Shalini Verma and going through her first book, ‘BODY LANGUAGE: YOUR SUCCESS MANTRA, (2005)’ I immediately fell in love with this beautiful subject and understood that body language is an important personality trait of any person. I am delighted to know that Dr Verma is bringing out a multi-title series of that inspiring book after 15 years, which is surely going to be another ‘hit’ and beneficial for the readers, especially the Gen Z youth, who gravely need the maturity to understand and cope with complex personal & professional relationships to move forward in life.

      Children’s literature largely trivialises and glosses over such issues such as gender or colour biases. But this book deals with the sensitive issue of our proclivity or preference for fair skin colour. In the context of the Indian subcontinent, such debates and discussions should be encouraged so that children grow up with a healthy self-image and grow up with the right attitudes that skin colour is secondary to inner beauty. Dr Monica’s sensitive handling of this subject deserves to be applauded. Kudos!

      This book talks about the fact that beauty has no standards - it’s the way one looks at one own self. I am sure this book will surely attract young readers. I wish all the best for the book.

      Kudos to Books33 for coming up with a separate segment of Children Books under its imprint Alpha Zone. Your initiative will definitely make parents and teachers understand the importance of inculcating reading habits in your kids right from their young age. I appreciate Dr Monica Khanna for her bookSunny Side Up’ and love its ‘kahani mein twist’ which made it all the more exciting.

      A lovely rhyming style and delightful words make this book effortlessly readable. Dr Khanna addresses a vital issue of our times in this allegorical tale of female crow.

      One may speak good English, bad English, good Hindi, bad Hindi, a mix of Hindi-English or 'Hinglish', Spanglish, Pig-Latin, Gibberish, Mumbling or Double-speak, the sub-text that one's body speaks is just ONE -- CREDIBLE or NOT CREDIBLE! Be aware of your body language. You can lie in your words, but the body never lies. We communicate through our Body all the time, even when we don't realize it. However, there are very few expertswho can deeply understand, analyse and decode Body Language. Dr Shalini Verma is one of them.

      Kyra’s Return Flight conveys through a delightful story the very important message that there is great joy and power in accepting ourselves as we are,and not falling prey to harmful social prejudices about what is attractive or good. I greatly recommend this wonderful book about loving oneself!

      ‘Sunny Side Up’ authored by Dr Monica Khanna is a slice of delight with just the right bite.

      ‘Sunny Side Up’ is a delightfully wicked book! A complete treat for kids of all shapes, sizes and taste; those who fuss around their meals and those who devour their food. A visual treat for the eyes that moistened my curiosity palate, as I turned each page to follow Sunny’s exciting culinary adventures. An astonishing finale, that enhanced some beautiful childhood memories.

      Katie Bagli has two interests, nature and children. She has two talents, writing and drawing. As a story teller, she engages children with her colourful puppets and other visual aids, bringing to life the characters in her books.

      Dr Monica Khanna’s new book ‘Kyra’s Return Flight’ dwells deeper into the age-old societal challenges of colour differentiation amongst humans. Through a simple life story of a crow, she brings to the front the problem that we have of self-pity and self-doubt that dark coloured people face through the generations. As a school principal, I definitely recommend Monica’s books in all school libraries and encourage parents to share a copy with their kids.

      My compliments to the author for developing rich and novel content in an area that still lies underexplored. With so little information available on body language in the Indian context, I can imagine how much hard work
      would have gone into creating a book like this. This book is beautifully crafted in terms of quality content and relevance in the current context.

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      A student of airport handling at YMCA, Delhi.

      An engineer by profession and a writer by passion

      Author & co-author of multiple books and anthologies

      A nine-year-old student of Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad

      A Grade-III student of Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad

      She adorns the hat of a multitasker - an educationist, an artist, a poet, a photographer, an author, a homemaker, a wife and above all a MOTHER

      3rd grader studying in Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad

      A writer by passion and a Physicist by profession

      Sr. ERO (Sr. Employee Relations Officer) at Indian Oil Corporation Limited

      Associate Professor at Indira Institute of Business Management

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