दीपावली लक्ष्मी-गणेश पूजा विधि

The best known story is that of Shri Rama. Fourteen years of exile, the abduction of Sita, the war in Lanka and the killing of Ravana: all this done, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya in the flying chariot Pushpaka. It was the night of the Kartik new moon, and there was no moon in the sky. Ayodhya had waited fourteen years for its king; Bharata had ruled from Nandigram like an ascetic, with Rama's sandals on the throne. When word came that Rama was coming, a wave of joy swept the city.

The people of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps in every house, in every lane and along the bank of the Sarayu, so that even on the dark new-moon night their king would see the way into the city and be welcomed with light. Doorways were decorated, rangolis drawn, flowers showered, sweets shared. It is said that there was a new moon over Ayodhya that night, but no darkness anywhere; those rows of lamps are the 'deepavali'. Since then lamps are lit on this night every year, in memory of justice over injustice, of light over darkness, and of coming home after exile.

The second story is Lakshmi's. When the gods and the asuras churned the ocean of milk, fourteen treasures rose from it: on the thirteenth tithi Dhanvantari with the pot of nectar, and then on the new moon of Kartik the goddess Lakshmi herself, seated on a lotus, lotuses in her hands, shining with a golden light, the daughter of the sea. Every god and asura wished to have her, but Lakshmi looked at them all and chose Lord Vishnu, taking her place upon his chest. That is why Lakshmi is worshipped on this night, and why it is said that Lakshmi lives where Vishnu is: where there is dharma, steadiness and care for others.

Folk belief holds that on the night of Diwali Lakshmi walks the earth and enters those homes that are clean, where lamps are burning and where people are awake, waiting for her. That is why the house is cleaned and whitewashed before Diwali, the doors are kept open, Lakshmi's footprints are drawn in the rangoli and people keep vigil through the night. Some traditions also tell that on this day Vishnu, in his Vamana form, asked King Bali for three paces of land and freed Lakshmi from Bali's hold.

There is a story, too, of why Ganesh is worshipped with Lakshmi. Once Lakshmi grew proud that all the world desired her alone. Vishnu smiled and said, 'Devi, you are worshipped by all, yet a woman who is not a mother does not find completeness.' The words stung Lakshmi, and she went to Parvati. Parvati understood her sorrow and gave her own son Ganesh to Lakshmi as an adopted son. Lakshmi, delighted, gave her word: 'Wherever I am worshipped, Ganesh shall be worshipped first; whoever worships me and leaves out Ganesh, with him I will not stay.' Since then Lakshmi and Ganesh are worshipped together.

The meaning of this story is plain. Ganesh is the lord of wisdom, discernment and the removal of obstacles; Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and plenty. Without wisdom, wealth either does not stay or becomes a cause of ruin; so in the Diwali puja Ganesh is worshipped first and seated to Lakshmi's right. Some homes also worship Saraswati (learning) and Kuber (the treasury) with them: wealth, wisdom, learning and savings, all four together.

Other memories too are bound to this night. The day before, Krishna killed Narakasura and freed the sixteen thousand women he held captive; in Bengal and eastern India Mahakali is worshipped on this night; in the Jain tradition Lord Mahavira attained nirvana on this day; and in the Sikh tradition it is Bandi Chhor Divas, when Guru Hargobind returned to Amritsar from captivity at Gwalior. The stories differ, but the lamp is one: each is a story of darkness giving way to light, of bondage giving way to freedom, and of coming home.

What you need: images of Lakshmi and Ganesh (new clay images are the tradition) or pictures, a low stool, a red or yellow cloth, a kalash with water, a betel nut, a coin, rice, mango leaves and a coconut for it, ghee and oil lamps (as many as you will light around the house), cotton wicks, roli, kumkum, turmeric, sandal paste, mauli, unbroken rice, lotus or rose flowers and a garland, durva grass, betel leaves, betel nuts, cloves and cardamom, incense, camphor, panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar), kheel-batashe, sweets, fruit, a coconut, coins and notes, and for traders the new account books and pen and inkpot.

The whole house should have been cleaned before Diwali: washed, whitewashed, with broken and useless things put out. On Diwali morning bathe, sprinkle Ganga water through the house, draw a rangoli at the main door, tie a toran of mango leaves and draw a swastika and write 'Shubh-Labh' in roli or turmeric on either side of the door. Many homes take only fruit until the puja on this day.

The time: the Diwali Lakshmi puja is held best in the pradosh period of the evening and, within it, in a fixed lagna (usually Taurus rising), because a Lakshmi worshipped in a fixed lagna stays settled in the house. Traders and those who worship at night also do the puja around midnight in Leo, the second fixed lagna; and in the classical tradition the mahanishitha period is for tantric practitioners. The times of these muhurtas for New Delhi are shown at the top of this page.

The place: set the stool in the east or north, or the north-east corner, and spread the red or yellow cloth on it. Make a small heap of rice on the cloth, or draw an eight-petalled lotus. Place Lakshmi's image in the middle and Ganesh's image to Lakshmi's right (that is, to the left of the person doing the puja); a Ganesh whose trunk curves to the left is held auspicious. The images should face east or west, and the worshipper should sit before them facing north or east.

The kalash: fill a copper or clay kalash with water, add a betel nut, a coin, rice, durva grass and a little Ganga water, set five mango or ashoka leaves in its mouth and place a coconut tied with mauli on top. Draw a swastika on the kalash in roli. Set it in front of Lakshmi on the right; it stands for Varuna and all the sacred waters. On the stool also keep the pictures of Kuber and Saraswati, the key of the safe, some coins and notes, jewellery, and the new account books with the pen and inkpot. Light two ghee lamps, one before Lakshmi and one before Ganesh, and keep a large oil lamp apart, from which all the lamps of the house will be lit later.

The vow: take water, rice and a flower in your hand and say, 'I perform the Diwali Lakshmi-Ganesh puja for the happiness, prosperity, health and lasting wealth of my family.' Then let the water fall to the ground. All the members of the family sit together for the puja; the head of the house, or whoever knows the puja, sits in front.

Ganesh first: bathe Ganesh with water (if the image is clay, only a sprinkle), offer cloth or mauli, a tilak of roli and sandal, rice, knots of durva grass, red flowers, incense, lamp, and modak or laddoo as the food offering. Chant the name mantra 'Om Gam Ganapataye Namah'. Then worship the kalash with roli, rice and flowers, and remember the nine grahas and the family deity.

The Lakshmi puja, the sixteen offerings (shodashopachara) in brief: avahana (inviting the goddess), asana (a seat), padya (water for the feet), arghya (water for the hands), achamana (water for the mouth), snana (bathing with water, then panchamrit, then clean water), vastra (a red or yellow chunri), abharana (mauli or a piece of jewellery), gandha (sandal, kumkum, turmeric), pushpa (lotus or rose, and the garland), dhoopa (incense), deepa (lamp), naivedya (kheel-batashe, sweets, fruit, panchamrit), tambula (betel leaf with nut, clove and cardamom), dakshina (a coin), and pradakshina-namaskara (circling and bowing). With each offering say 'Om Mahalakshmyai Namah'. Offering each item before the image one after another, all this comes naturally in a few minutes.

Hymns: those who know them recite the Shri Sukta, the Kanakadhara Stotra, the hundred and eight names of Lakshmi or the Mahalakshmi Ashtaka; otherwise one mala of 'Om Mahalakshmyai Namah' and a sincere prayer are enough. Then offer flowers and rice to Kuber with the name mantra 'Om Kuberaya Namah' and to Saraswati with 'Om Saraswatyai Namah'. Sprinkle roli and rice on the safe, the place where money is kept, and the jewellery.

The ledger puja (for traders): on the first page of the new account book or ledger draw a swastika in roli or saffron, write 'Shri' and 'Shubh-Labh', and begin the first entry of the new year with 'Shri Ganeshaya Namah'. Mark the book with turmeric and kumkum, offer flowers and rice, and worship the pen and inkpot. In Gujarat this is called the Chopda Pujan. It is also the custom to do a separate Lakshmi-Ganesh puja at the shop or office and light lamps there too; draw swastikas on the scales, the safe and the entrance.

The lamps: from the large oil lamp of the puja light all the lamps of the house, on both sides of the main door, in every room, the kitchen, by the tulsi, in the courtyard, on the roof, the stairs, the back door, at the water place and at the shop. The number is as your devotion allows: 11, 21, 51 or more. One ghee lamp before Lakshmi should burn all night; it is called the akhand deep. In many homes one lamp is also set out this night in the name of the ancestors, and one outside the house in the name of Yama. The lamps are described further below.

Aarti and closing: do the aarti of Lakshmi and Ganesh with camphor or a ghee lamp, first 'Jai Ganesh Deva', then 'Om Jai Lakshmi Mata', ring the bell and blow the conch, then ask forgiveness for any mistake made in the worship. Give everyone the prasad of kheel-batashe and sweets, touch the feet of the elders for their blessing, and give sweets and food to neighbours and to those in need. After the puja it is the custom to leave the door of the house open or ajar through the night and the lamps burning, for Lakshmi's coming. The clay images from the puja are kept until the next Diwali, or placed or immersed at a sacred spot the next day; when new images are brought, immerse the old ones in water.

The old rule is that the Diwali lamp should be of clay: a diya made by the potter's hand, a cotton wick, and ghee or sesame oil (mustard oil also serves). Soak the diyas in water for a few hours before the puja and dry them, and they will drink less oil. Place the lamps first at the place of worship, then on both sides of the main door, then at the tulsi, the kitchen, the water place, the door of every room, the stairs, the parapet of the roof and the back door, so that no corner of the house is left dark. It is also the custom to set one lamp facing south in the name of the ancestors, and one outside the house in the name of Yama. Light every lamp in the house from the single lamp of the puja, and let the akhand deep before Lakshmi burn all night. Strings of electric lights are decoration; for Lakshmi, the clay lamp is the true offering.

The rangoli is drawn at the main door, before the place of worship and in the courtyard, as the sign of Lakshmi's welcome. A traditional rangoli is made with rice flour, turmeric, roli, flower petals or coloured powders. A Diwali rangoli has the lotus (Lakshmi's seat), the swastika, 'Shubh-Labh', lamps, and most particular of all, Lakshmi's small footprints, drawn leading from the door towards the place of worship, as if the goddess were walking in from outside. Set lamps in the middle of the rangoli or along its edges. A toran of mango or ashoka leaves at the door, and a garland of marigolds, are also held dear to Lakshmi.

Preparing the home begins long before Diwali; it is part of the story itself that Lakshmi enters a home that is clean, lit and awake. Washing and whitewashing the house, cleaning the corners, putting out old, broken and useless things, settling old accounts and debts before Diwali, and bringing a new object or new clothes into the home: all this is 'preparing for Lakshmi'. New clothes for every member of the family, sweets made at home, and sweets, clothes and lamps for the neighbours, for those who work for you and for the needy: the giving of Diwali is no less than the puja. And remember that Lakshmi is pleased by lamps and cleanliness, not by noise and smoke; keep the fireworks within limits, with a thought for animals and neighbours.

By tradition the Lakshmi-Ganesh puja of Diwali is done for lasting wealth, prosperity and happiness in the home, for growth in business, and for freedom from debt and want. The stories carry one message: Lakshmi comes where there is light, cleanliness, wakefulness and dharma; she chooses Vishnu, and she does not stay without Ganesh. Which is to say that wealth comes with effort, steadiness and good sense, and stays only with them. The lamps of Ayodhya remind us that even the darkest night can be filled with lamps, and that even after exile one can come home.

In Jyotish, Lakshmi is linked to Venus, the graha of wealth, luxury and comfort, and Ganesh, the lord of wisdom, to Mercury, the graha of trade, accounts and speech; Jupiter is the significator of prosperity, wisdom and protection. The second house of the kundli shows accumulated wealth, the eleventh income and gain, and the ninth fortune. Those whose kundli has a weak Venus, Jupiter or Mercury, or affliction to these houses, are said to gain most from the Diwali puja, from giving, and from a resolve to clear debt. But in truth this puja belongs to every home; the lamp burns in every house.

The puja ends with the Ganesh aarti 'Jai Ganesh Deva' first and then the Lakshmi aarti 'Om Jai Lakshmi Mata'; many homes follow with 'Om Jai Jagdish Hare' as well, since Lakshmi is worshipped together with Vishnu. Do the aarti with camphor or a ghee lamp, with the bell and the conch, then pass your hands over the flame and touch them to your eyes. After the aarti share the prasad of kheel-batashe and sweets with everyone, light all the lamps of the house and begin the night's celebration.