This is a story of the Jagannath temple in Puri in India.
They have a beautiful temple there dedicated to Lord Jagannath. Lord Jagannath's wife is Lakshmi. Once long long ago, it was the day of Lakshmi pooja.
(Discuss upcoming or recently celebrated Lakshmi pooja. For example: Do you know Lakshmi Pooja is coming up next week? When you go home will you ask your Mommy what you will do that day? Are you going to go to the temple? Are you going to wear a new dress, etc. Not more than 2 minutes are to be spent on this conversation.)
Lets talk about how they celebrated Lakshmi pooja in Puri. Do you think they may decorated all the houses? Do you think they drew rangoli? Maybe they lit some pretty lamps for Lakshmi! Maybe they decorated plates for the arthi! How pretty it must have been!
Lakshmi lived in the Jaganath temple. It was her pooja day. So she went out to see how people were praying. She walked and walked and enjoyed looking at all the beautiful decorations. When she was walking, she came to very small, very poor house. The people were not wearing any fancy clothes. They did not have a lot of food, the children did not have toys. They did not have anything. In that house there was a very poor woman called Shreeya. Shreeya had cleaned the house, cleaned the floor and put rangoli designs on the floor. She had decorated Lakshmi's image with lotus flowers and she was praying to Lakshmi with full devotion. Lakshmi heard Shreeya's honest prayers and asked what she wanted. Shreeya said 'Give me a son and give my family prosperity, so that we have enough to eat and live comfortably'. Lakshmi blessed Shreeya and walked back to her temple.
When she came back, Lord Jagannath was waiting for her. He said 'Why did you go to that poor woman's dirty house? That was such a poor house. Now you are all dirty. I dont want you to come in. Lakshmi said 'Why? I go to the house of anybody who prays to me. It does not matter if they are poor. All that matters is that they have a good heart. Fine, if you dont want me to come, I will go away'.
So she left the Jagannath temple. She got a tiny house. It looked very simple outside but when she went in its insides were made of gold and it so beautiful, as beautiful as Lakshmi herself. Lakshmi went to live inside. Now - what happened when Lakshmi left the temple?
All the rice in the temple, started walking after her. There was one bag of rice walking, and then another one and then another one, all walking one behind the other all in a row behind Lakshmi. Jagannath was surprised. He looked behind and what did he see, all the water in the temple also started walking behind Lakshmi. A bucket of water and them a cup and then a jar of water, all walking behind the rice. All the rice and water in the temple also followed Lakshmi out of the temple. Jagannath had no food to eat. He thought Lakshmi might come back but she did not. Jagannath got really hungry and thirsty. He realised that Lakshmi really loved whoever was devoted to her. It did not matter if they were rich or not rich. All that mattered was that they loved Lakshmi. He felt sorry went looking and searched everywhere. Finally he came to the tiny poor looking hut where Lakshmi lived. There, Lakshmi gave him dinner and then came back to the temple with Lord Jagannath.
Some people heard that story and they told others. They realised that Lakshmi loves people who are good and devoted to her. Things and stuff in the house are not important for her! They all started celebrating Lakshmi pooja with a lot of devotion. Lakshmi blessed everybody and people lived happily in the town. Even now, many many years later, they tell the story every Lakshmi pooja day to remind everybody to be good and be devoted. That is because when you are good you will be happy and comfortable on the inside.
