The Book Launch of Treasures of Lakshmi: The Goddess Who Gives

Menka Rai

A Report: Menka Rai

The air of anticipation and excitement was palpable. The book titled Treasures of Lakshmi: The Goddess Who Gives, edited by Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal, and published by Penguin Random House India, was launched on 8^th October 2024 at the prestigious venue of the India International Centre, New Delhi. The work is the last of the “goddess trilogy” by the editors, the first two volumes being, In Search of Sita: Revisiting Mythology (2009) and Finding Radha: The Quest for Love (2018). The new book offers a plethora of academic and creative works including a diverse range of articles, research papers, translations from original texts, poems, as well as modern retellings on the goddess Lakshmi.

The programme was moderated by Dr. Usha M. Munshi, Chief Librarian of the India International Centre. Dr. Munshi called the speakers, Vidya Shah, Lakshmi Puri, Alka Tyagi along with the editors and the publisher, to the stage to “launch” the book which has a dramatic cover sourced from Chitrakala Press, Pune. Here, Lakshmi appears as a strong force of energy with a resplendent abundance. Following the launch, the programme proceeded by including musical performances, readings from sacred texts of Lakshmi as well as a discussion on the book.

The befitting opening presentation was a melodious musical rendering of the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam by noted musicologist, Vidya Shah. It is a Sanskrit hymn to the eight forms of goddess Lakshmi.

After the performance, Namita Gokhale introduced the book to the audience. Gokhale, an eminent author and festival director, emphasized the mystery and enigma surrounding Lakshmi in diverse mythological traditions. She quoted Anand K. Coomaraswamy, “Myth embodies the nearest approach to absolute truth that can be stated in words”, to explain how the chapters included in the book unravel multiple facets of the goddess. She spoke of the complex link between Saraswati and Lakshmi--devotion to knowledge and the quest for material success.  She further mentioned Lakshmi’s compassion for her reviled sister Alakshmi, and the many stories about the chanchal goddess that emerge from communities around the country.   The book demonstrates that it is important to recognise and understand Shri Lakshmi through sacred texts as well as modern creative writings and interpretations. In Namita Gokhale’s words, “Shri Lakshmi represents the order, stability and harmony of the universe.”

Lakshmi Puri, a former member of the Indian Foreign Service, an ambassador, and having served for fifteen years in leadership roles across various UN organizations, eloquently expressed that the book "unveils the secrets of Lakshmi," providing profound insights into the spiritual and cultural significance of the goddess. She suggested that reading the book was equal to an act of worshipping the goddess in her plenitude, experiencing her multifaceted nature. Puri further highlighted Lakshmi's dual impact, describing her as a "Devi with a civilizational impact and at the same time local." This statement highlights Lakshmi’s resonant influence on the Indian subcontinent as a whole while also recalling her intimate connection with local traditions and communities. Further, Lakshmi Puri found the process of composing the edited volume similar to “churning the Kshira Sagar of knowledge about Lakshmi to bring out the information for modern readers”.

This discussion was followed by a recitation of Shri Suktam from the Rig Veda by spiritual seeker and writer, Alka Tyagi. The Shri Suktam is considered as the first hymn present in textual records for the goddess Shri; it consists of sixteen hymns in her praise as a bountiful, divine feminine power. In the later period, Shri is identified with Lakshmi.

Malashri Lal, writer, academic, and social worker, alluded to various manifestations of Lakshmi portrayed in the book, emphasising that she is not just the goddess of material wealth. The description of Lakshmi’s emergence during the churning of the sea is to be read in this context. While rising from the ocean, she holds the Akshaya Patra which is filled with gold and grain, signifying material wealth as well as essential food. Also accompanying her are Kamadhenu-- the wish fulfilling cow, Kalpataru-- the tree of hope, and Chintamani-- the wish fulfilling gem. The details from ancient texts denote that Lakshmi is not just symbolic of materiality, rather she is the goddess of holistic abundance and fulfilment. Lal further posed the question “Why are we still talking about Lakshmi?”. The relevance of Lakshmi in our contemporary times is explained through different chapters of the book dealing with folktales, vrat kathas, Kuber, symbols such as the lotus, the owl, and the elephants, Lakshmi’s influence on Buddhism and Jainism, and her name being linked to the cosmetic brand Lakme, and to government schemes for women, etc.

The book discussion provided ample illustration that Goddess Lakshmi presides over the long span of time from Vedic times until now. The programme concluded with a mesmerising musical rendering by Vidya Shah of the Telugu song Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma (‘Come, O goddess of Luck’).

The book Treasures of Lakshmi was warmly appreciated by the large audience in the IIC Auditorium who were equally keen to obtain copies of the book signed by the editors.

Bio: Menka Rai is an assistant professor (History) at Amity Law School, Noida. She has published papers on themes such as the cult of sixty-four yoginis, polyandry in ancient India, violence against women, public policy in ancient India, etc. Her PhD research work is ‘Representations of Women in the Mahāpurāṇas: Through the Lens of Family, Caste and Class (c. 3rd to 8th centuries C.E.)’, where she explored different social themes from a gendered perspective. She has also worked on a project dealing with violence against women in the development sector.

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Setu, October 2024