How to do a simple Goddess Lakshmi Puja for Diwali Festival

Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess of riches & wealth. It is believed that worshiping Goddess Lakshmi will bring financial happiness in one's life. One of the most important days when a special puja for Goddess Lakshmi is done is during the festival of Diwali. The 2014 Lakshmi Puja date is October 23rd. Read more: 2014 Diwali Festival Dates and Lakshmi puja time

Learn more about Diwali Abhyanga Snan

Diwali Lakshmi Puja Day Morning Rituals

On the morning of Diwali Lakshmi Puja, you should tie a marigold flower around the main tap which brings water to your home, 1 tap in your bathroom, the steel tumbler of water which you use to fill buckets and which you use for bathing, and any large steel drum which stores water in your home (see photos below). With chalk, draw a simple flower design on the steel bathing vessels and steel water storage drum. [do no put any flowers on toilet taps!]

After the traditional ritual bath, you should put a toran (bunting) or marigold flowers and mango leaves just above the main door of your home. You can put a toran of just flowers too.

Toran with real flowers

Toran with artificial flowers and leaves

The day of Lakshmi puja during the Diwali Festival is the most important day of the Festival of Lights, as the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess of Wealth. The Lord Ganesha puja for Diwali is considered equally important and is considered to be necessary on the same day as Lakshmi Puja. Those who have their own shops, restaurants and other types of business or profession also perform a chopdi puja of their accounts books on this day after the Lakshmi puja (read more: Chopdi puja traditions and rituals).

Lakshmi Puja Viddhi and Offerings and How to Perform Lakshmi Puja during Diwali

You need not call a priest to perform the Lakshmi puja during Diwali, nor do you need expensive offerings to perform the Lakshmi Puja. What's more, you don't need to have a large room with rich decor - even a small corner of your home is sufficient for the Lakshmi Puja.  

All you need is true faith which comes from the heart.

Step 1: First of all, you need to ensure that the puja area is clean. 

Step 2: Next, place the idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi on a paath (flat low table) or low stool after washing them with water (if you have rose water, this is ideal). Make a few simple rangoli designs with white rangoli powder or with white chalk on the floor around the idols.

Have a look at some simple rangoli patterns for Lakshmi Puja

Step 3: Make a mixture of 5 ingredients: milk, curd, ghee, sugar & Honey. This is known as Panchamrita (panch means five).

Step 4: Place a kalash (small or large copper pot) near the idols which contains a few grains of rice, a single coin, 1 betel nut and a few flowers. Around the neck of the kalash tie a string of mango leaves and place a coconut on the top. 

Kalash with coconut and mango leaves

Step 5: For the Lakshmi Puja Thali you need: a diya, a few mithai pieces, some rice grains, and flowers, as well as kumkum and turmeric.

Step 6: Light 5 clay diyas and some incense sticks.

Step 7: Light the diya in the thali and do aarti of Lord Ganesha first, saying the Lord Ganesha aarti and applying kumkum and turmeric to the idol's forehead, followed by throwing a few flowers and rice grains.

Words of Jai Ganesha Aaarti 

Sukhkarta Dukhharta Lyrics

Words of Siddhivinayaka Prayer

Step 8: Similarly, perform the Lakshmi puja. 

Goddess Lakshmi Puja Aarti

Step 9: Place the mithais and some money at the feet of the idols. Many people place silver and/or gold coins. Alternatively, you can place Rs. 11/- or Rs. 21/-.

Note: The money which is offered during pujas at the idols is generally not spent. All money offered at the home's deity or any other idols in the home are put in the donation box at the nearest temple.

Step 10: Offer the mithais as prasad and give a teaspoon of the Panchamitra to all family members and others present. 

Note: the Panchamrita should be given in the palm of the right hand, which is cupped and held by the left hand placed below it.   

Step 11: At the doorstep of your house, you should draw with rangoli powder or white chalk 2 small outlines of feet to represent Goddess Lakshmi entering your home. Put a little kumkum on it. Also draw a small or large rangoli design outsided the door .

Learn Diwali Rangoli Designs

Goddess Lakshmi's footprints at the center, with lotus and kalash on either side

Usually, on a daily basis, the diya of the family deity is lit at 7 p.m. On Lakshmi puja day, you should put a lighted clay diya at the doorstep of your home before the Lakshmi puja has to begin. Leave the door open to welcome Goddess Lakshmi (keep an eye on the open door though!).

Goddess Lakshmi's footsteps entering the home

Important Notes:
(1) Since you can expect many guests during Diwali, you can also expect a mass of footwear at your doorstep (it is a general principle amongst Indian families for guests to leave the footwear outside the door of a home before entering or keep them just inside the doorway at the side). On the day of Diwali Lakshmi puja, though, it is said that footwear should not crowd the doorway. In order to give Goddess Lakshmi easier and quick entry, you should ensure that there is no footwear at the main entry door of your home. However, this does not mean that you should make guests enter from a back door (if you have one). It is quite possible that one of those guests is a client/customer come to pay up - in effect, Goddess Lakshmi is entering your home - and so guests must be welcomed through the front door only.

(2) It is the tradition during Diwali for people of the serving class - sweepers, servants, postal staff, municipal corporation staff, etc. to take baksheesh. On the Diwali Lakshmi Puja day, however, never give baksheesh. Remember that Goddess Lakshmi is entering your home.

May Goddess Lakshmi bring Prosperity to your Homes

Also read: Diwali Festival of Lights