Manabasa Gurubara is a festival celebrated by all Odia Hindus across the globe in the Month of November/ December (Margasira month in Odia Calendar).

Picture courtesy-youtube.pk

What is Manabasa Gurubar (Thursday) :

Goddess Laxmi is the presiding goddess In this festival. Because Goddess Lakshmi loves a clean house so all women make their houses clean then decorate the house with Jhoti Chita (Designs made with rice paste). Reading the "Laxmi Purana" is a mandatory part of the "Manabasa Gurubara".It is believed that the most well-decorated house by "Jhoti Chita" will be visited by Goddess Lakshmi during these Thursdays of Margasira month and that house can get money and prosperity.

Images of Jhoti Chita (Picture courtesy-youtube.pk)

Story of Laxmi Purana -

Laxmi Purana was written by poet Balrama Das in 15th-century. Laxmi Purana is a story of a woman’s self-respect and will. It also equality tells about social harmony related to the caste system.

As per Laxmi Purana, during One Thursday in the month of Margashira once the Goddess Laxmi was out visiting her kingdom. As she roamed around the city in the morning, she saw that most households are dirty, with their residents still in bed. She saw that even the women in rich houses were too lazy to clean their homes.
Then Goddess Laxmi visited a Low caste poor Chandal woman named Shriya. Shriya had cleaned her poor hut, drawn Jhoti-Chita on her front door and has performed Laxmi Puja with fruits, flowers and humble offerings. By seeing this Goddess Laxmi was so pleased that she entered into the little hut and accepted Prasad that the poor women had offered her. The Chandal woman Shriya was surprised, seeing the goddess Laxmi inside her poor house, then Goddess Laxmi blessed her with unlimited wealth, health and success.

While Maa Laxmi was accepting the prasad offered by Shriya, Lord Balabhadra, the elder brother of Lord Jagannath(Godess Laxmi’s husband) became aware of the incident. When Maa Laxmi returned to the Puri Jagannath Temple, Lord Balabhadra was outraged. He told Lord Jagannath, “Laxmi has entered inside the hut of a Chandal and also She has eaten their food. Laxmi has become impure. So, She cannot stay in this holy temple anymore.”
Lord Jagannath has opposed his brother. He tried to convince him, promising that he will tell Laxmi not to visit the houses of persons of lower-caste in future. However, Lord Balabhadra was adamant. Finally, Lord Jagannath was convinced by his brother. Lord Jagannath said to Godess Laxmi, You can no longer stay in this holy temple. You have to go away.”

Godess Laxmi was insulted, angry and hurt, then she removed all her jewellery and left the Temple. Going away, Godess Laxmi said to Lord Jagannath, “No man should ever insult his wife like this, so I curse you that you will starve. You will suffer and unless I command so, you cannot eat again”.
After leaving Lord Jagannath’s Temple, a furious Godess Laxmi summons Lord Vishwakarma and ordered him to build her a new palace, which Vishwakarma immediately followed.

On the next day, when Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra woke up, they were astounded. Not even a speck of grain or a single broom was to be found in the once lavish, rich Temple. There was no food, no wealth and even no expensive clothes on their bodies. Transfixed, the brothers ventured out in hunger. They begged on the streets, but seeing their condition, the people of the city drove them away by saying “Laxmi-drohi has no place in the city”.

Finally, the destitute brothers, suffering from days of hunger and thirst, unknowingly arrived at the very same palace that Laxmi had built. The servents of Godess Laxmi asked Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra, “ whether they will accept food from a Chandal woman’s home.” Both Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra, unable to bear the hunger anymore, and said, “Yes, we will. please provide us with grains and wood with some utensils. We will cook our food.” The servents gave the things to them. Then Godess Laxmi prayed “Hey Agni Dev (The Lord of Fire) if the Lord and his brother get to eat now, no man will respect their wife on this universe. If people were to be taught to value their women and practise balance, these brothers must be taught a lesson”. Then as a consequence, despite repeated attempts, Both Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra could not even light the fire to cook.

Then Lord Balabhadra said to Lord Jagannath "Let’s go to the palace of that Chandal woman for some food. Let’s ignore the caste We need to survive.” Then again Both Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra begged to the attendants of Goddess Laxmi to give them food. Goddess Laxmi ordered the servants to invite the brothers in and offer them a meal. Godess Laxmi then entered into the kitchen herself and cooked the dishes that Lord Jagannath loved. She kept sending the dishes as the servants served the brothers. In the end, Lord Jagannath realised that the food tasted like Laxmi’s cooking. The brothers eventually realised that they have walked into Laxmi’s palace. Lord Balabradra then told his brother, “We committed a grave sin by hurting Laxmi. Please go, hold the hands of your wife and plead her for forgiveness.”

Lord Jagannath did as told. Godess Laxmi then told, “You drove me away calling me a Chandal woman. Now you ate the food offered by a Chandal woman, at the Chandal woman’s house.” Lord Jagannath could not bear it anymore. He held Laxmi’s hands and begged her to forgive him. Lord Jagannath and Lord Balabhadra pleaded with Laxmi to come back to the Temple and forgive them.