Lakshmi is the consort of Vishnu, similar to Kuan Yin in the Buddhist faith. She is the Hindu goddess of wealth and fortune, power and beauty. Her blessings are necessary to assure a good life, which makes her the most worshipped feminine deity in the Hindu faith. The descriptions of Sri or Lakshmi are very similar in Indian literature. Some scholars believe that Sri was a pre-vedic deity connected with fertility, water and agriculture. She was later fused with Lakshmi, the Vedic goddess of beauty.

According to the Puranas, Lakshmi was incarnated as the daughter of the sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati. She was later born out of Ksheer Sagar while she was churning. Hence, her appellation, Ksheera Samudra Raja Tanaya. As consort of Vishnu, she is born as his spouse whenever he incarnates. When Vishnu appeared as Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, she appeared as Padma or Kamala, Dharani, Sita and Rukmini. She is inseparable from Vishnu as speech is from meaning or knowledge from intellect, or good deeds from righteousness.

Vishnu represents all that is male and Lakshmi, all that is female. Lakshmi is enchantingly beautiful, and is seen standing on a lotus and adorned with a lotus garland. Often elephants are seen on either side of her, as celestial maidens empty pitchers of water over her. She is variously described as dark, pink, golden, yellow or white. If Lakshmi is pictured as dark in complexion, it is to show that she is the consort of Vishnu, the dark god. If golden yellow, she is the source of all wealth. If white, she represents the purest form of prakriti (nature) from which the universe grew. As she is the mother of all, a pinkish complexion reflects her compassion for all creatures.

Lakshmi Puja is performed differently in the different parts of India. In the North of India, Lakshmi is worshipped on the occasion of Divali while in the South of India, she is worshipped on Vara Maha Lakshmi Vratham day, the first Friday of the month of Shravan.