Diwali Dos and Don’ts

The quiet etiquette of the night

Around every Diwali gather small customs — things long done and things long avoided — each one a way of keeping the night auspicious and warm. None are rules so much as a shared courtesy toward the festival and toward Lakshmi, who is said to notice both.

What to do

• Clean the home fully before the night, for Lakshmi enters only where it is bright and cared for.
• Light diyas at the entrance and keep the main door open during the puja.
• Draw a rangoli at the threshold and perform Lakshmi Puja at the right muhurat.
• Wear clean or new clothes, share sweets, and give to those with less.
• Keep one lamp burning through the night.

What to avoid

• Do not leave the home dark; an unlit house is said to turn Lakshmi away.
• Do not gamble or overspend chasing luck; fortune is invited by effort and gratitude.
• Do not quarrel or speak harshly; keep the night gentle.
• Do not skip Ganesha, who is honoured before Lakshmi so the puja meets no obstacle.
• Do not blow out the lamps; let them burn down on their own.

A kinder, cleaner Diwali

Many families now choose clay diyas, natural rangoli colours and fewer or green crackers, sparing the elderly, the young and animals the smoke and noise. It is the same old courtesy, widened to the whole street. For the heart of it all, see why we light diyas.