She Who Scrivens

Visit the Online Exhibit by Laurie Sue Brockway

Take a digital tour to learn about how Lakshmi is honored around the world, and in Queens.

Note from the Author

Lakshmi is a very ancient goddess.

The tradition she hails from has rich scriptures, holy stories, ancient practices, and specific prescriptions for worship. There are so many different customs and symbols for honoring her. And she is also honored in many countries, regions, and cultures, each with its own approach.

In recent decades, millions of Hindus have immigrated to the United States and they have brought their religion and traditions with them. Hindu temples have sprouted up around the country and books and studies have been written about American Hinduism.

I've spent 25 years studying Hinduism. It has been a joy to partake in the ancient traditions offered by this faith. I have especially been blessed in my experiences of honoring and researching Lakshmi. I have learned so much about her over time that I felt called to put it into books, classes, and, more recently, an exhibit for my graduate program in Public History called Lakshmi Exhibit: A Goddess Grows in Queens.

I was born in Queens and lived in Manhattan for many years. When I moved back to the borough 22 years ago, the Hindu culture was still growing and but you still had to search to find Lakshmi beyond the local temple. I had to order books on Hinduism from India and goddess sightings here were rare.

Now, her image and presence abound.

Queens is so filled with the sights and sounds of Hindu worship. Colorful traditions have seeped into daily life. And, as it turns out, Lakshmi is all over the borough! She is celebrated not just on Diwali but throughout the year.

I have made dozens of recent local pilgrimages to find her - and hundreds over the past decades - and there are more to come. I am excited to share my research and journey in the forthcoming book, inspired by my exhibit, LAKSHMI: A Goddess Grows in Queens.

LAKSHMI: A Goddess Grows in Queens

Local Pilgrimages in Search of the Hindu Goddess of Fortune

For the Ebook, order here.

For the Paperback, order here.

Lakshmi is an ancient goddess who presides over material and spiritual wealth. She was born in India, but she is worshipped around the world.

This goddess is also widely celebrated in Queens, a borough of the City of New York that is considered one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world. She is worshipped and beloved by the many tight-knit Hindu communities that are a vital part of the borough.

The sights and sounds of Hindu worship can be heard in many of the local temples. Colorful traditions have seeped into daily life. And Lakshmi comes alive here.

You can find her at spiritual services, community celebrations, and in stores and supermarkets. Her statues and images abound. And she walks among us all during Diwali celebrations, when women and young people dress up like the goddess of fortune. Some sit in life-size lotuses to honor her.

She is celebrated not just at Diwali but throughout the year and people of all backgrounds are invited to take part.

Author Laurie Sue Brockway is an interfaith minister, public historian, and a widely published writer. She has made many local pilgrimages to temples, stores, celebrations, and the streets of Queens. She shares her research and journey in this book.\

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Visit the Online Exhibit by Laurie Sue Brockway

Note from the Author

LAKSHMI: A Goddess Grows in Queens

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