The Harvest Goddess: When India and Mexico Dreamed the Same Divine
In many Bengali homes, the autumn moon glows on freshly cleaned courtyards. Lamps flicker beside baskets of rice and clay pots, while an owl figurine keeps watch. On this night of Kojagori Purnima , people worship Goddess Lakshmi —the bringer of plenty. But if you look closely, this celebration is not just about gold and fortune. It is about grain, soil, and the quiet gratitude of those who live by the land. The small details tell the story: rice sheaves placed beside the altar, a boat filled with grains, vermillion and coconut shells arranged in a wicker basket. These are not symbols of commerce; they are emblems of harvest. The goddess who receives them was once not merely a patron of wealth but the protector of crops—the Shashya Devi , the mother of food itself. Lakshmi: The Forgotten Harvest Mother Today, Lakshmi is known everywhere as the glittering goddess of prosperity—her hands showering coins, her form framed in golden light. Yet older traditions remember her dif...