KundliDarpan
Maa Lakshmi Pooja
Everything for the Diwali Lakshmi-Ganesh pooja in one place: the samagri list as a checklist, the step-by-step vidhi, the five days of Diwali and the aarti.
Before you begin
- Clean the whole house before Diwali — Maa Lakshmi is said to enter a clean, bright home. Decorate the entrance with rangoli, a toran and diyas.
- Bathe and wear clean, preferably new clothes. Set the chowki in the north-east (Ishan) corner or so that you face east or north.
- Spread the cloth on the chowki. Place Ganesh ji on the right (as you look at them) and Maa Lakshmi on the left, both facing east. Keep the kalash to the right and a small rice heap for the coins/jewellery in front.
- Keep all samagri within reach. The pooja is done in the evening (Pradosh kaal) at the Lakshmi Pooja muhurat — see the Panchang for the exact time.
Pooja vidhi, step by step
- 1Pavitrikaran and achaman
Sprinkle water on yourself and the pooja items with a flower while reciting the mantra; then take three sips of water (achaman).
Mantraॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा।यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥ - 2Lighting the main diya
Light the large ghee diya to the right of the deities; it should keep burning through the pooja (many keep it burning all night).
Mantraशुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यं धनसम्पदः।शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते॥ - 3Sankalp
Take water, akshat, a flower and a coin in the right hand; say the date, place, your name and gotra and the purpose ("for the grace of Maa Lakshmi, for prosperity and well-being of the family"), then release the water.
Mantraॐ विष्णुर्विष्णुर्विष्णुः। अद्य कार्तिक मासे कृष्ण पक्षे अमावस्यायां तिथौ...... गोत्रोत्पन्नः ...... नामाहंश्रीमहालक्ष्मी-गणेश पूजनं करिष्ये॥ - 4Ganesh pujan (first)
Bathe Ganesh ji's idol with water (sprinkle, for a picture), apply roli-haldi tilak and akshat, offer durva, a flower, and modak or laddoo. Pray for a pooja without obstacles.
Mantraवक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥ॐ गं गणपतये नमः। - 5Kalash and Varun pujan
Fill the kalash with water, put in the coin, supari and akshat, place the mango leaves and the coconut on top, tie moli, and mark a swastik with roli. Offer roli, akshat and a flower to it.
Mantraॐ वरुणाय नमः। कलशं पूजयामि। - 6Dhyan and avahan of Maa Lakshmi
Fold your hands and meditate on Maa Lakshmi — seated on a lotus, golden-hued, showering wealth, with elephants on either side. Then, with akshat and a flower, invite her to be present in the idol.
Mantraॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये प्रसीद प्रसीदॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥आवाहयामि, स्थापयामि। - 7Shodashopachar (sixteen offerings)
Offer each item in turn, saying "ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः, [offering] समर्पयामि":
Aasan → Padya → Arghya → Achaman → Snan (panchamrit, then water) → Vastra (chunari) → Abhushan (jewellery/coins) → Gandh (chandan, roli, haldi) → Akshat → Pushp (lotus, red flowers, garland) → Dhoop → Deep → Naivedya (kheel-batashe, sweets, fruits; then water) → Tambool → Dakshina → Pradakshina and namaskar
Mantraॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः, [उपचार] समर्पयामि। - 8Kuber pujan and bahi-khata pujan
Place the cash box / locker keys, the coins and jewellery on the rice heap before Maa; apply tilak and akshat and pray to Kuber, the keeper of wealth.
Shopkeepers and businesses: mark a swastik and "शुभ लाभ" on the new account book with roli, offer akshat and a flower, and start the new year's accounts with Maa's blessing.
Mantraॐ यक्षाय कुबेराय वैश्रवणाय धनधान्याधिपतयेधनधान्यसमृद्धिं मे देहि दापय स्वाहा॥ - 9Path and jaap
Recite the Shri Sukta or Lakshmi Chalisa / Ashtottara Shatanamavali (108 names) if you can; otherwise chant the Lakshmi mantra 108 times on a mala.
Mantraॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः॥ - 10Aarti
Do the aarti of Ganesh ji first, then of Maa Lakshmi — see the "Aarti" tab.
- 11Deep-daan (lighting the diyas)
Light the diyas from the main pooja diya and place them at the entrance, in every room, the kitchen, near the water source, the tulsi and the roof — leaving no corner dark. Light one at the doorstep for Maa Lakshmi to enter.
Mantraदीपो ज्योतिः परं ब्रह्म दीपो ज्योतिर्जनार्दनः।दीपो हरतु मे पापं दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते॥ - 12Kshama prarthana
With folded hands ask Maa to forgive any mistake in the pooja.
Mantraआवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम्।पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वरि॥ - 13Prasad
Distribute kheel-batashe and sweets as prasad. Keep the coins/jewellery from the pooja in the cash box the next morning — they are considered blessed for the year.
This is the common household vidhi for Diwali; the order and some mantras differ between regions and families. The mantras are given in their traditional form — it is good to check them once against a reliable pustak (e.g. Gita Press) or your family pandit.
How to do the aarti
- Prepare the aarti thali: a ghee diya or camphor, roli, akshat, flowers and a bell.
- Do Ganesh ji's aarti first, then Maa Lakshmi's. Ring the bell with the left hand and move the thali clockwise with the right while singing.
- A common way: four times at the feet, twice at the navel, once at the face, then seven times over the whole form.
- After the aarti, sprinkle a little water around the thali and give the aarti to everyone present.
Aarti — ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता
ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता, मैया जय लक्ष्मी माता।
तुमको निशदिन सेवत, हरि विष्णु विधाता॥
उमा, रमा, ब्रह्माणी, तुम ही जग-माता।
सूर्य-चंद्रमा ध्यावत, नारद ऋषि गाता॥
दुर्गा रूप निरंजनी, सुख-संपत्ति दाता।
जो कोई तुमको ध्यावत, ऋद्धि-सिद्धि धन पाता॥
तुम पाताल निवासिनी, तुम ही शुभदाता।
कर्म-प्रभाव-प्रकाशिनी, भवनिधि की त्राता॥
जिस घर में तुम रहतीं, तहँ सब सद्गुण आता।
सब संभव हो जाता, मन नहीं घबराता॥
तुम बिन यज्ञ न होते, वस्त्र न कोई पाता।
खान-पान का वैभव, सब तुमसे ही आता॥
शुभ गुण मंदिर सुंदर, क्षीरोदधि-जाता।
रत्न चतुर्दश तुम बिन, कोई नहीं पाता॥
धूप-दीप-पुष्प चढ़ाकर, भक्त आरती गाते।
मनवांछित फल पाते, दुख-दरिद्र मिटाते॥
ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता, मैया जय लक्ष्मी माता।
तुमको निशदिन सेवत, हरि विष्णु विधाता॥
जय लक्ष्मी माता, जय लक्ष्मी माता। 🙏
Diwali is five days: from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj. Lakshmi Pooja is on the third day, the Amavasya.
- 1Dhanteras
Buy something new (utensils, gold/silver) and light a diya for Yamraj at the doorstep in the evening. Lord Dhanvantari is also worshipped.
- 2Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali)
Abhyanga snan (oil bath) before sunrise; diyas in the evening. In many homes Hanuman ji is also worshipped.
- 3Diwali — Lakshmi Pooja
The main day: Lakshmi-Ganesh pooja in the evening (Pradosh kaal, ideally in the sthir lagna of Vrishabh) — the vidhi on this page. Diyas through the house.
- 4Govardhan Puja / Annakut
Govardhan made of cow dung is worshipped; Annakut bhog of many dishes is offered to Shri Krishna.
- 5Bhai Dooj
Sisters apply tilak to their brothers and pray for their long life; brothers give gifts.
How the muhurat is chosen
The pooja is done in the evening during Pradosh kaal (the first fifth of the night, from sunset) and, within it, in a sthir (fixed) lagna — Vrishabha, which rises in the evening on Diwali — so that Maa Lakshmi "stays". The muhurat shown above is where the two overlap, inside the Amavasya tithi. Times are for New Delhi; other cities differ by a few minutes with their sunset.
Dates are for New Delhi (sunrise / Pradosh based) and can differ by a day in some regions or Panchangs.
Pooja samagri list
Idols & seat (0/6)
Kalash (0/5)
Pooja items (0/19)
Flowers (0/4)
Special for Maa Lakshmi (0/6)
Bhog & prasad (0/5)
This is the commonly used list; items vary by region and family tradition — follow your own custom where they differ.
Common questions
When is the Lakshmi Pooja muhurat?
On Diwali evening in Pradosh kaal (about 2 h 24 min from sunset), traditionally in the fixed Vrishabh lagna. See the Full Panchang page for that day's sunset and lagna.
Why is Ganesh ji worshipped with Lakshmi ji?
Ganesh is the lord of wisdom and remover of obstacles; wealth without wisdom does not stay — so every Lakshmi pooja begins with Ganesh, placed to Lakshmi's left (your right).
What are the five days of Diwali?
Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Diwali (Lakshmi Pooja, Amavasya), Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj. This year's dates are in the 'Diwali' tab.