Sri Varalakshmi

Varalakshmi Puja is a festive day observed by Hindu women who believe that praying to Goddess Varalakshmi on this auspicious day will fulfil all their wishes and bless them with a happy married life. There is an interesting story behind this puja and worship.

Once, Sage Narada visited Kailasha and saw Parvathi sitting in deep meditation amidst the icy cold mountains, with no material comforts or possessions. On realising that Sage Narada had come, Parvathi greeted him and welcomed him to her abode.

The sage asked Paravthi why she,the wife of Lord Shiva should live in such a cold place devoid of any beauty and wealth when Lakshmi and Saraswathi,the wives of Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma lived in luxury. This made Parvathi long for a real home and she asked Shiva for a beautiful abode.

Shiva told Parvathi that her wish will be fulfilled by praying to Goddess Varalakshmi.Parvathi performed the Varalakshmi Puja as elucidated by Shiva and Goddess Lakshmi appeared to fulfil Parvathi's wish. 

Paravathi asked Lakshmi for a beautiful place to live in,incomparable to any other creation ever. Lakshmi summoned Vishvakarman,the celestial architect to build a home befitting Goddess Parvathi. He created a beautiful island called Lanka and built a palace there for Parvati and Shiva, which surpassed all his other creations in grandeur and splendour.

Shiva and Parvathi were very happy and called on Ravana, an ardent devotee of Shiva to do the house-warming rituals for their new home. Ravana, impressed by the wealth and beauty of Lanka desired to make it his own. When Parvathi asked him what he wanted as dakshana for performing the rituals, he said "I want to be the King of Lanka".

Parvathi, the compassionate goddess who fulfils all the wishes of her devotees, gave Lanka to Ravana as dakshana and returned to Mount Kailasha with Shiva. Parvathi realised that there was no place which could compare to Kailasha and all which happened was Shiva's Leela to ensure that devotees could get the grace of Godess Varalaksmi by this puja which was first performed by Parvathi herself.

Shiva granted a boon to Lakshmi that the day she appeared before Parvati will be celebrated as Varalakshmi Vrat  and the wishes of all women who pray to her on that day will be fulfilled.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishvakarman

http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/372/how-did-ravana-get-the-golden-city-of-lanka

https://kshetrapuranas.wordpress.com/2010/12/05/grandeur-lost-the-story-of-lankas-lone-shakthi-peetha-thirukkonamalai-sri-lanka/