Lakshmi Puja on Diwali: How to Perform It at Home

The heart of Diwali night

On the new-moon night of Kartik, the main night of Diwali, households welcome Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and fortune, into a clean and brightly lit home. The belief is simple and lovely: Lakshmi enters where there is light, cleanliness, and a grateful heart. Here is how a simple home puja is performed.

Prepare the home and the altar

Clean the whole house during the day — Lakshmi is said to visit only where it is swept and bright. In the evening, light diyas at the door, windows and along the walls. Set a low table (chowki) with a red cloth, place images or idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha (Ganesha always worshipped first), and keep a kalash (pot) of water, rice, flowers, kumkum, a lamp, incense, sweets, and coins or account books to be blessed.

Begin with Ganesha

Light the lamp and incense, then invoke Ganesha first, for an auspicious and obstacle-free worship, with “Om Gan Ganapataye Namah“. Offer him flowers, durva and a sweet.

Invoke and worship Lakshmi

Invite Lakshmi with folded hands and the mantra “Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye Praseed Praseed, Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah“. Offer water, kumkum, rice, a garland, a lotus or red flowers, sweets and fruit. Many families recite the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam or the Shri Suktam at this point, and bless the account books (the Bahi-Khata or Chopda Puja of merchants).

Close with the aarti

End by singing Om Jai Lakshmi Mata, circling the lamp before the goddess, then offer the flame to everyone present and distribute the prasad. Leave a lamp burning through the night to light Lakshmi’s way.

A note on intention

The puja asks for prosperity, but its older meaning is gratitude and care — a clean home, a lit lamp, a settled mind. Lakshmi is said to stay not where there is the most wealth, but where what there is, is honoured.