How to perform Lakshmi puja at home

Diwali, the festival of lights, is a vibrant festival filled with a variety of events, celebrations, rituals and pujas. Central to these festivities is the Lakshmi puja, which seeks to invite prosperity into our homes and businesses. This year, the puja will take place on November 1, 2024. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and the consort of Lord Vishnu, blesses us during this time, bringing hope, positivity, and growth into our lives. Diwali thus becomes a refreshing and rejuvenating experience for many. Here’s a simple guide to performing Lakshmi puja at home.

Puja Preparations

Before the start of Lakshmi puja, clean your home thoroughly and decorate it. On the day of Lakshmi puja, take a bath, sprinkle Ganga Jal throughout your home and on the members of the household as a mark of purification ritual.

Set up the puja altar

Place a table or platform or a tripod stand and spread a red cloth over it. Place some grains in the center and draw a lotus in the center of the grains with turmeric powder. Place an image of Lakshmi, Ganesh and on the grains spread on the pedestal.

Install a Kalash

Fill a silver or copper pot with three fourths of water. Place some coins, betel nut, raisins, clove, dry fruits, and cardamom inside the pot. Place a bunch of mango leaves on the pot arranging the leaves in a circular fashion. Place a coconut on the pot to finish the set up. Place the kalash on the pedestal along with the idols and decorate it with sindhoor and flowers.

Holy bath and puja to the idols

Give a holy bath to the idols of Lakshmi and Ganesh with pure water, panchamrit (fruit salad in honey), sandal water, rose water and pure water to complete the cycle. Decorate the idols with turmeric powder, sandal paste and sindhoor. Decorate the idols with flowers and garlands.

Puja and offerings

Light the lamp and incense sticks. Start the puja with Ganesh worship. Then worship Lakshmi. Chant the mantras for both the deities and place the offerings in front of the deities. Some of the important offerings for Lakshmi puja include badasha, laddoos, betel leaves and nuts, dry fruits, coconut, sweets, dishes made in the home kitchen, some coins and others. Offer flowers in front of the idols accompanied by the changing of mantras.

Read the story of Laxmi

Listening to the story of Lakshmi is an important part of the Lakshmi puja. Let an elderly member or an interested volunteer to read the story of Lakshmi. Others must listen to the story in rapt attention with devotion. At the end of the story session, let all the members offer flowers at the feet of the deities. The story teller will get a gift of a silver coin, sweets and some presents.

Conclude the Laxmi puja
Sing the arati song of goddess Lakshmi and wave the camphor light in front of the idols and kalash. Say the prayers for the prosperity and welfare of the home and pray for the world too. Circumambulate the altar and prostrate in front of the deities. Distribute the puja Prasad among the attendees. You can then enjoy a special meal with your family and guests by starting with the sweets obtained as Prasad.

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