🪔 Diwali Lakshmi-Ganesh Puja Vidhi
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Puja samagri
- Idols/picture of Lakshmi and Ganesh (Ganesh on Lakshmi's right side as you face them is the common custom), Kuber/Saraswati picture if you worship them
- Wooden chowki with red cloth, kalash (copper/brass) with water, mango leaves, coconut wrapped in red cloth
- Roli/kumkum, haldi, akshat (unbroken rice), moli (kalawa), sandal paste, abir-gulal
- Flowers (lotus if available), garlands, durva grass for Ganesh, tulsi is NOT offered to Ganesh
- Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar), Ganga jal, clean water
- Kheel-batashe, sweets (laddu), fruits, dry fruits, betel leaves & supari, cloves, cardamom
- Coins/silver coin, new account book (bahi-khata), pen/inkpot for traders
- Big ghee lamp (akhand deep), mustard/sesame-oil diyas for the house, dhoop, agarbatti, camphor, match box
Step-by-step method
- Clean the whole house in the days before Diwali; on the day, bathe, wear clean clothes and make a rangoli and the auspicious footprints of Lakshmi at the entrance.
- Place the chowki in the north-east or north of the room, spread red cloth, draw a swastik with roli and put a small heap of rice on it.
- Kalash sthapana: fill the kalash with water, add supari, coin, akshat and a flower, place mango leaves and the coconut on top, tie moli and put it on the rice heap.
- Seat the idols on the chowki, Lakshmi and Ganesh side by side. Light the big ghee lamp (it should keep burning through the night if possible).
- Pavitrikaran: sprinkle water on yourself and the puja items while saying the Pavitrikaran mantra, then do achaman (sip water three times).
- Sankalp: take water, akshat and a flower in the right hand and state your name, gotra, the place, date (Kartik Krishna Amavasya) and the wish for the family's well-being; release it before the deity.
- Ganesh puja first: invoke with the Vakratunda mantra, offer water, roli, akshat, durva, flowers, sweets (laddu/modak) and a lamp.
- Kalash and Navagraha remembrance: offer roli-akshat to the kalash and bow to the nine planets (optional for simple household puja).
- Lakshmi puja (shodashopachar in short): avahan, asan, padya (water to feet), arghya, snan with panchamrit then clean water, vastra/moli, chandan, roli, akshat, flowers & lotus, dhoop, deep, naivedya (kheel-batashe, sweets, fruits), paan-supari, dakshina.
- Chant the Lakshmi mantra or Mahalakshmi Gayatri 11, 21 or 108 times with full attention.
- Worship Kuber and your wealth: place coins/jewellery/cash box near the deity, apply roli-swastik, chant the Kuber mantra. Traders worship the new bahi-khata by writing "Shubh-Labh" and a swastik with roli and doing lekhani (pen) puja.
- Deep daan: light diyas from the puja lamp and place them at the entrance, kitchen, water place, tulsi, terrace and every room while saying the Deep mantra.
- Perform the aarti: first Ganesh aarti, then "Om Jai Lakshmi Mata" with a camphor/ghee lamp; ring the bell, then do pushpanjali and pradakshina (circumambulation) or turn around in place.
- Ask forgiveness for any mistakes (kshama prarthana) and distribute prasad of kheel-batashe and sweets to family and neighbours.
- Keep the main lamp safe and burning; keep doors/windows open for some time in the evening as a mark of welcoming Lakshmi. Never leave lamps unattended near curtains or children.
Mantras
Pavitrikaranॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा। यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥
Ganeshवक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ। निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥ ॐ गं गणपतये नमः॥
Lakshmiॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये प्रसीद प्रसीद श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥
Mahalakshmi Gayatriॐ महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे विष्णुपत्न्यै च धीमहि। तन्नो लक्ष्मीः प्रचोदयात्॥
Kuberॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धनधान्याधिपतये धनधान्यसमृद्धिं मे देहि दापय स्वाहा॥
Deep (lamp)शुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यं धनसम्पदा। शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते॥
ℹ️ The vidhi above is the common North-Indian household vidhi; family and regional customs (for example Kali Puja in Bengal) are equally valid. Keep fire safety first.