Puja guide · Lakshmi and Ganesha

Diwali Lakshmi Puja Vidhi

On the Amavasya evening of Diwali, families welcome Goddess Lakshmi, along with Lord Ganesha, into a clean, brightly lit home. The puja is traditionally performed in the pradosh period after sunset, preferably while the “stable” Vrishabha (Taurus) lagna is rising, so that prosperity stays in the home.

When: On Diwali evening, during pradosh kaal — ideally the part that overlaps the Vrishabha lagna, calculated below for New Delhi.

Step-by-step puja vidhi

1. Clean and decorate

   Clean the whole home during the day. Draw rangoli at the entrance, hang mango-leaf torans, and light diyas at doors and windows at dusk.

2. Set up the altar

   Place the chowki in the north-east of the room, cover it with a red cloth, make a small heap of rice or wheat and set the kalash on it. Place Lakshmi and Ganesha on the platform, with the coins, account books and the large diya beside them.

3. Purify and take sankalpa

   Purify yourself with achamana, sprinkle water on the family and the items, and state your sankalpa — the date, place, your name and family, and your intention to worship Lakshmi and Ganesha for the well-being of the household.

4. Worship Ganesha first

   Offer Ganesha water, kumkum, akshat, flowers, durva grass and a laddoo or modak.

   ॐ गं गणपतये नमः

   oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ

   Chant with the mantra counter →

5. Worship the kalash

   Offer kumkum, rice and flowers to the kalash, which represents the presence of the divine and of the sacred rivers.

6. Lakshmi puja

   Invoke Lakshmi and offer, one after another: water to wash her feet, arghya, panchamrit snan, clean water, clothes or a red chunari, kumkum and haldi, akshat, lotus and other flowers, incense, the lamp, and naivedya of kheel-batashe, sweets and fruit. Repeat her mantra 108 times if you can.

   ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः

   oṃ śrīṃ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ

   Chant with the mantra counter →

7. Worship wealth and work

   Apply kumkum and rice to the coins, account books and pen (Chopda Pujan for traders), and to tools or the cash box, offering them for blessing.

8. Aarti

   Perform the Lakshmi aarti with camphor and ghee lamps, followed by the Ganesh aarti, ringing the bell.

9. Light the house

   Take the lamps through the house and place them at the entrance, windows, kitchen and courtyard. Keep the main diya burning through the night if it is safe to do so.

10. Prasad and blessings

    Distribute prasad, take blessings from elders and exchange sweets with neighbours.