Goddess Saraswati

Goddess Saraswati is also known as the Goddess of knowledge and speech, She is the consort of Lord Brahma.

Power of Speech :
Many people around the world worship her during their native Life to get good knowledge and the power to speak and show their talent in the art and music.Particularly students around the world worship her during their entire educational career to be blessed by her with good knowledge.
It is also said that worshipping her will give a boon that stays throughout our life that is education. We also know that ' if wealth is gone -- nothing is gone' , 'if health is gone -- something is gone' , But education stays throughout our life in our brain.

This can be used to regenerate our lost wealth. Goddess Saraswati is often seen holding 'Veena'(A musical instrument) which resembles her power of music. A book along with a swan feather as a writing instrument is seen near her, which resembles the power of speech and education. When people worship her with full devotion , She will bless them with the power of speech & knowledge.

She also grants her devotees with 'Moksha'(which is also called the final liberation of the soul). Her Birthday is celebrated in a lunar month every year. The day on which her birthday is celebrated is called as 'Vasant Panchami'. On this day people visit temples and pray to her to get her blessings with wisdom,knowledge and speech. She is also called as 'Vidya - Lakshmi' , who gives the power of knowledge , which will then turn in to wealth and fortune.

Goddess Parvati

Here is a story how Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva Got Married. There was a demon named Tarakasura who had performed a severe penance and became very powerful that no God could defeat him.
Knowing this Tarakasra terrorised the Devas(Gods) and humans, even though the Devas tried to fight back, they could not match the demons power. Then all the Gods and humans went to Lord Brahma to seek his help. Then Lord Brahma advised the Gods and Humans that only Lord Shiva's child will be able to destroy the Demon(Tarakasura).

In the mean time Lord Shiva was in deep penance after the death of his Goddess Sati. When the Deva and Humans came to his cave to seek his help, they could not move him with their devotion as Lord Shiva was in deep penance. Then the Devas again went to Lord Brahma for help and this time Lord Brahma advised the devas to worship Shakti who is an incarnation of Sati.
As the Devas worshiped her , Maha Devi appeared before them and told the Devas that she would reincarnate as Parvati and marry Lord Shiva and their child would defeat Tarakasura. As said by Goddess Shakti, She was born to Himavat(King of Himalayan Kingdom) and his queen Menaka. They named the child 'Parvati' . The name 'Parvati' means 'of the hills'.

Parvati was a beautiful child, and from her childhood , she was fiercely devoted to Lord Shiva and would visit his cave to serve him during his meditation. Every day parvati would clean the cave and would bring beautiful flowers for Lord Shiva's puja.

All these efforts couldn't melt Lord Shiva's heart, later parvati decided to take a penance to win the love of Lord Shiva, Then she moved to a forest and started the penance in the day and night without food & water for years. Seeing her penance Lord Brahma was pleased and appeared before her and asked her to seek a wish.. Then Parvati asked Lord Brahma to help her in getting married to Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma aggred and turned Goddess Parvati in to a beautiful women, when she appeared before shiva, He was mesmerised and married Parvati. Soon in their union a child was born and defeated the Demon Tarakasura.

Goddess Laxmi

Lakshmi Puja Vrat :

During the festival of Diwali people wake up early in the morning and pay tribute to their ancestors and worship family Gods. Since it is Amavasya day(Absence of Moon at Night) many people also do shradha for their ancestors. On this day especially women in their family household observe a day long fast during Lakshmi Puja. The fast is broken after the Lakshmi puja in the evening.

Lakshmi Puja Preparations :
 During the festival of Diwali most Hindu families decorate their homes and offices with flowers,mango or banana leaves and some times Ashoka leaves on the day of Lakshmi puja. It is important to keep Mangalik Kalash which should be covered with unpeeled cocunut at both sides of the main entrances of your home.

For performing Lakshmi puja, one should keep a red cloth at the right hand side on a raised platform and place idols of Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh on it after decourating them with silk cloths and jewellery, we should also place Navagraha Gods by keeping a cloth at the left hand side. One should make nine slots of Akshata(unbroken rice) for placing Navagraha on the white cloth and make sixteen slots of wheat on the red cloth. After this preparations one should perform Lakshmi puja with full knowledge to the mantras.

Lakshmi Puja Muhurat(Timing) :

There is a particular time to perform Lakshmi puja. That is 'Pradosh Kaal' which will come after the sunset and lasts for about 2 hours and 24 minutes is good time to perform Lakshmi puja. It is also said that Mahanishita kaal is also the best time to perform Lakshmi puja. But during Mahanishita Kaal , only the best pundits who has the best about Lakshmi puja perform during this special time. For other common people 'pradosh Khal muhurat' is the best.

Birth of Goddess Lakshmi :

Some of the Hindu religious texts say Goddess Lakshmi is the daughter of Bhrigu Maharishi, who is one of the saptarshis. During the churning of the milky ocean She was reborn , then she choose Lord Vishnu as her consort. She is also the incarnation of Goddess Sita and Goddess Radha.