🙏 How to Do Lakshmi Puja on Diwali: A Step-by-Step Guide 🪔

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most significant festivals in India. Among the many rituals performed during this auspicious time, Lakshmi Puja is the most important. Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth, fortune, and prosperity, is worshipped with immense devotion on this day. Performing the Puja correctly can bring peace, happiness, and abundance into one’s home. 🌟

🌼 Why Do We Perform Lakshmi Puja on Diwali?

It is believed that on the night of Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi visits homes that are clean, well-lit, and filled with devotion. She blesses her devotees with wealth, success, and prosperity. This is why people go to great lengths to prepare for Lakshmi Puja – to invite the goddess into their homes and hearts. 🏡💖

📝 Things You Need for Lakshmi Puja

Before beginning the Puja, gather all the items required. Here's a checklist:

• Idols or pictures of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha 🪔
• A clean cloth or small table for the altar
• A Kalash (copper/silver pot filled with water) with mango leaves and a coconut
• Red cloth, turmeric, kumkum (vermilion), and rice
• Flowers (preferably marigold and lotus) 🌸
• Incense sticks (agarbatti) and camphor
• Oil/ghee lamps (diyas)
• Betel leaves and betel nuts
• Sweets and fruits 🍬🍎
• Coins or currency notes (symbol of wealth)
• Roli, sandalwood paste, and rice for tilak
• A Panchamrit (mix of milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar)

🧹 Step 1: Cleanliness and Preparation

Clean your house thoroughly. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi enters homes that are tidy and pure. Decorate the entrance with rangoli and place oil lamps around the house. 💐🧹

Also, take a bath and wear clean or new clothes before starting the Puja. Traditionally, women wear sarees, and men wear kurta-pajamas during the ritual. 🎊

🪔 Step 2: Setting Up the Altar

Choose a quiet and clean space in your home. Spread a red or yellow cloth on a table or a platform and place the idols or pictures of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. The Kalash can be placed in the center with the coconut on top and mango leaves surrounding the neck. Arrange all the other items around the altar neatly. 🔆

🙏 Step 3: Invocation (Avahanam)

Begin the Puja by lighting the lamp and incense sticks. Offer flowers and chant the Lakshmi mantra:

Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namah

Invite the goddess to accept your prayers and bless your home. 🕯️

🌺 Step 4: Offering Panchamrit and Bathing the Idols

Mix milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar to create Panchamrit. Gently use it to clean the idols, followed by plain water. This represents purity and respect. Wipe them clean with a soft cloth and place them back on the altar. 💦🧴

🌿 Step 5: Applying Tilak and Offering Sweets

Apply sandalwood paste and kumkum to the idols. Offer rice, flowers, betel nuts, sweets, fruits, and currency notes as symbols of abundance and respect. Keep a few coins in a bowl of turmeric water, as it is considered auspicious. 💰🍮

🕉️ Step 6: Lakshmi Aarti and Mantras

Perform the Lakshmi Aarti with a diya in hand. Sing the Aarti with family members. Here is a popular one:

Om Jai Lakshmi Mata, Maiya Jai Lakshmi Mata
   Tumko Nishdin Sevat, Har Vishnu Vidhata

You can also chant:

Shree Mahalakshmyai Namah

Distribute the prasad (offerings) to everyone present. 🎶🪔

🪙 Step 7: Place Coins or New Account Books

Many people start new account books (called Chopda Pujan) during Diwali to bring prosperity in business. Keep coins or books in front of the goddess and seek blessings for growth and wealth. 📒💹

🏠 Step 8: Lighting Diyas Across the House

After the Puja, light multiple diyas across your home. It symbolizes driving away negativity and inviting positivity and divine energy. Place one diya near the main door and one in the kitchen. 🏮✨

📿 Step 9: Charity and Sharing

Diwali is not just about rituals; it's also about compassion. Donate clothes, food, or money to those in need. Share sweets and gifts with neighbors and relatives. 💝🙏

📌 Additional Tips for Lakshmi Puja

• Use natural items instead of synthetic products.
• Keep the Puja area undisturbed after the ritual.
• Avoid using plastic or non-biodegradable materials.
• Recite Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanamavali (108 names) if possible.
• Maintain a positive and peaceful atmosphere during the Puja. 🌼🧘

🌈 Benefits of Performing Lakshmi Puja

• Invites wealth and abundance
• Brings peace and prosperity to the household
• Removes negativity and promotes positivity
• Strengthens family bonds through collective worship
• Enhances spiritual growth and gratitude 🙌💫

🎉 Final Thoughts

Performing Lakshmi Puja on Diwali is a beautiful way to welcome the goddess of wealth and express our devotion. The steps may vary slightly based on regional practices, but the essence remains the same — gratitude, positivity, and purity. 🌺

Celebrate this Diwali with a clean heart, a bright home, and loving intentions. May Goddess Lakshmi shower her blessings on you and your family. 🪔💖

Wishing you a Happy, Prosperous, and Joyful Diwali! 🪔🎇🧡