Maa Lokkhi: Bengali Lakshmi Devi

Title: ''Maa Lokkhi ''

Medium: Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Size: 33cm x 41cm

The painting has a typical village scene from Bengal in the backdrop,

with golden crop fields and mud huts with thatched hay-roofs.

''In Bengal, Lokkhi or Lakshmi is worshiped during a night in Autumn when the moon is full -- the brightest night of the year. It is believed that she showers wealth on this night.

She, along with her mount, the great white owl, descends to Earth and takes away the

darkness of poverty, stagnation, anger, and laziness from our lives.

Her 'vahana', the white owl, is that it represents the royalties and riches, which always serve at her feet; and over whom she has full control.

She is also referred to as 'pranadayini '(giver of life-sustaining energy).

She wears ornaments of gold and a ruby-studded golden crown. Her hair is long, dark and wavy. She holds a pot of gold with her left arm and a crop of rice in her hand.''

-source: wikipedia

This is an image of a traditional Bengali depiction of Lakhsmi Devi.

-Image from this webpage

A rather sweet Bengali folk song, often sung by the little ones on the day of the puja

is written around Lokhhi thakur's 'mukut' or crown:

It goes like this:

''Esho maa lokkhi bosho ghore

Amader e ghore thako aalo kore''

Transliteration:

Welcome Maa Lokhhi, welcome to our home

Come, stay and fill our home with your radiance and blessing.