Diwali Vibes- Lakshmi Pujan: 'Praying The goddess of Prosperity'

         Diwali or Dipawali is the biggest festival of Hindus. It is celebrated on Amavasya Tithi of Kartik month. On this day, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are worshipped for prosperity. Lakshmi Pujan must be performed during Pradosh Kaal (sunset time). This festival is widely associated with Goddess Lakshmi. For Diwali, it’s important to clean up house and puja room. Because it is said that Goddess Lakshmi stays longer at clean, tidy and pleasing places. 

Mythology of Diwali:

    According to “Ramayana”, on this day, Lord Rama (Vishnu avatar) came back from 14 years of exile i.e. Vanwas with his wife Sita (Lakshmi avatar) and younger brother Lakshman after defeating Ravana. Therefore, people of Ayodhya decorated the streets and their homes with lamps to welcome Lord Rama. It was a New moon that day with full black night. Since that day Diwali is celebrated as a day of remembrance of that event. Thus Diwali is considered as a victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. 

Lakshmi Puja vidhi:

• On the day of Diwali, clean up house and puja room. This puja is performed in the evening(refer calendar for exact timing).  
• Put on Toran (make it with mango tree leaves and marigold flowers) to the main entrance of the house in the morning. 
• To perform Puja, Keep a wooden chowki adjacent to the temple and cover it with a red cloth. Draw a Swastik with red colored rangoli below chowki. Decorate chowki with toran (made up of mango tree leaves). 
• Place Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha idol/photo on the chowki. 
• In front of Idol/photo put five small clay matkas (if not available use bowls) filled with pulses or grains and place diya on it. It's the symbol of harvest and prosperity. 
• Spread some rice on the chowki and place a copper/brass/silver kalash on it.  Fill water in a Kalash. Draw a swastik on kalash. Put a coin, puja supari and a pinch of haldi, chandan and kumkum into it. Then cover the neck of the Kalash with five or seven Mango or betel leaves. Place a whole brown coconut with its husk on top of it. 
• Beside kalash put a plate(you can use taaman) and draw a swastik on it with kumkum.  Then put rice in it and draw Goddess Lakshmi with that rice.  
• Lit an oil/ghee lamp and place it on the rice. 
• Begin Puja with Lord Ganesha.  All the offerings must be first made to Lord Ganesha. Gently place the idol on a plate(taaman) and perform snan (bath) of the lord with water and Panchamrut (mixture of milk, ghee, Gangajal, honey, curd). After performing the Abhishek, place it back on it's respective seat. While performing puja chant Ganesh mantra "Om Gan Ganapataye Namo Namah".  
• After this, perform kalash puja and Lakshmi puja by offering haldi, kumkum, chandan, akshada and flowers(offfer red flower to Lakshmi if you have). In same sequence pray all deities in temple and welcome them. 
• The old preserved coins, money and jewellery which is available in home is also place in a plate and offered haldi, kumkum, akshad and flowers.
• Also worship the lamp by offering flowers, akshat, kumkuma, haldi and chandan.
• A new broom is also worshiped as "Alakshmi", the sister of Goddess Lakshmi who wipes out all dirt, illness and worries from the house.
• At last, offer Prasad and fruits to the deities.

Diwali Celebration:

In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces. Main entrance of the house is decorated with marigold flowers and mango tree leaves. During Diwali, people wear their finest generally newly purchased clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with diya and rangoli, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. Diwali is also a major cultural event for the Hindu and Jain diaspora from the Indian subcontinent.

    After the completion of Puja vidhi and rituals, people burst crackers and whole family enjoys firework followed by wholesome Dinner. Some people go to each other’s home to wish "Happy Diwali" and exchange sweets. People celebrate this festival with joy and happiness.

" Happy Diwali"