Diwali Puja Vidhi at Home: Diwali is a sacred festival celebrated in Hindu culture, marked by great fervor and enthusiasm. Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a major celebration in Indian culture. On this day, oil lamps are lit, and homes are adorned with colorful garlands and beautiful candles. This festival of light dispels darkness, evil, and negative energy.
Diwali symbolizes not only light but also prosperity, joy, and family unity. Diwali Puja is performed with specific rituals. Let’s learn the steps to perform Diwali Puja.
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Preparing for Diwali Puja
Gather all the items needed for the Puja in advance so that nothing is missed during the ritual.
Cleanse the Puja Area:
Clean and decorate your home’s temple well, and in the evening, clean and decorate the area where Diwali Puja will be held, including with rangoli.
Puja Essentials:
- Clay lamps (with an odd number, including a large lamp)
- Kumkum (red powder)
- Roli (vermilion)
- Rice
- Turmeric
- Sandalwood
- Betel nut
- Cotton wicks
- Incense sticks and dhoop
- Yogurt
- Ganga water (holy water)
- Honey
- Grains such as wheat and barley
- Offerings like sweets
- Fruits
- Red and yellow flowers and garlands
- Durva grass
- Lotus seed mala (rosary)
- Festive decorations
- Red and yellow cloth
- Altar
- Ritual items like sugar candy and toys
- Kalash (sacred pot)
- Conch
- Silver coins or other wealth symbols
- Seating mat
- Idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh
- Broom for cleaning
Before starting the Puja, take a bath and wear new, clean clothes to honor the sanctity of the ritual. Sprinkle Ganga water around the Puja area. Set up an altar with red cloth for Lakshmi and yellow cloth for Ganesh. Place the idols on these respective cloths with Ganesh to the left of Lakshmi.
Traditionally, the Puja is incomplete without Lord Vishnu. Therefore, keep an idol or picture of Lord Vishnu to the left of Goddess Lakshmi. Include an idol or image of Lord Kubera (God of Wealth) as well.
- Lighting Lamps: Fill a large lamp with mustard oil and place a cotton wick inside. Light at least five or seven ghee lamps, then add mustard oil lamps. The number of lamps should be odd. Light them from right to left while reciting the lamp mantra: “Deepajyoti Parabrahma Deepajyoti Janardhanah. Deepo Haratu Me Paapam Deepajyoti Namo’stu Te.”
- Offerings to Ganesh: Apply tilak to Lord Ganesh and offer a garland made of Durva grass. Hold yellow flowers and rice in your hand, meditate on Lord Ganesh, and recite his mantra: “Om Gan Ganapataye Namah”
Chant the following mantra before starting: “Gajananam Bhoota Bhavanaasinaam Kapitta Jambu Phal Charubhaktam, Umaasutam Shoka Vinasha Kaaranam Namami Vighneshwara Paada Pankajam.” - Offer Prasad: After the chants, offer modak and boondi laddoos to Lord Ganesh.
- Worship Goddess Lakshmi: Apply red sindoor on Goddess Lakshmi, hold red flowers and rice, and recite her mantra: “Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye Praseed Praseed Shreem Hreem Shreem Om Mahalaxmi Namah.”
- Pray to Lord Kubera: Worship Lord Kubera and chant his mantra: “Om Hreem Shreem Kreem Shreem Kuberaya Ashta-Lakshmi Mam Grihe Dhanam Puraya Puraya Namah.”
Completing the Puja
Offer fruits, sweets, and toys to all deities. Conclude with the Aarti of Lord Ganesh, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Kubera. Afterward, pray together with your family, ask the deities to remove obstacles, and wish for prosperity and happiness.
Distribute the Prasad among family members, place the lamps around the house, and bow to the deities and seek blessings from elders.
