Varalakshmi vrata is observed in the lunar month of Shravana, on Friday in the Shukla paksha seeking blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi.

Once, Lord Shiva and Parvathy were playing dice in Kailasa, amusing themselves.

The game came to an end.

Dispute broke between the two as to who won the game.

Chitranemi belonged to Shiva-gana.

He was asked to say who won the game.

Chitranemi, out of his intense devotion for the lord couldn't even imagine that his lord could ever lose.

He said shiva.

Devi became angry and cursed him that you will suffer from leprosy.

The lord intervened.

Don't do that.

Chitranemi is always truthful.

He said so out of his devotion for me.

Now give him relief from the curse.

Mother is always mother.

Her heart filled with kindness.

She said let him live by the side of the divine lake.

There, he will happen to see apsaras observing a vrata.

When this happens, he will become normal.

Chitranemi started living near the lake.

The Shukla paksha Friday of Shravana came.

The apsaras came to the lake and started the worship.

Chitranemi approached them and asked them what puja they were doing.

They said Varalakshmi puja and gave him the procedure of the vrata and puja.

His leprosy disappeared.

This is the legend behind Varalakshmi vrata.

Can mother Parvathy curse someone to become a leper?

No, that’s just her leela.

Otherwise how we would have got the procedure of doing Varalakshmi vrata which only the apsaras knew thus far.