Why We Celebrate Diwali Festival?
Diwali, also known as the festival of light, is celebrated over five days that starts with Dhanteras and is followed by Narak Chaturdashi, Lakshmi puja, and Bhai Dooj. All over India Diwali is celebrated for various reasons.
- In northern India, Diwali marks the return of lord Rama from exile, along with Laxmana and Sita, after defeating the evil king Ravana.
- Southern India celebrates Diwali as the day when lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura, hence Narak Chaturdashi.
- In western India, they mark it as the day when lord Vishnu saved the goddess Lakshmi from the evil king Bali and sent him to rule the netherworld.
- In Sikhism, Diwali was the day when Guru Hargovind Singh was released from Mughal prison along with other Hindu kings.
- According to Mahabharata, Pandavas returned to Hastinapur on the day of Diwali.
- Other popular traditions also say that the goddess Lakshmi was born on the day of Diwali and chose Lord Vishnu as her husband and married him.
- In eastern India, kali puja is celebrated on the day of Diwali when Goddess Kali is worshipped.
What is Meant by Pooja During Diwali?
On the auspicious day of Diwali, most households perform Lakshmi puja at home. It is believed that this would bless everybody with health, wealth, and prosperity. People light up their homes to invite the goddess to their abode.
During the mahurat lord Ganesha and goddess Lakshmi are worshipped as it carries its own meaning. The evening hours of the day are considered to be the best time to do the Lakshmi Ganesha puja. People offer special prayers, chant mantras, do the aartis, and offer bhog to the gods and goddesses during this Laksmi Ganesh puja.
The shubh Diwali mahurat 2022 falls on the 24th of October as Amavasya is ending in the evening before 6 pm on the 25th of October. The auspicious hour of Diwali puja time in 2022 falls between 6.53 pm to 8.16 pm.
How to Do Lakshmi Puja on Diwali?
Every household needs to have a clean and well-decorated house before the puja. So, it is better to clean the home days before the puja.
- When you are done with all the pre-puja works set up the altar in the puja room to place Lakshmi and Narayana/ Ganesha on it.
- The puja should be performed facing north so, make sure your setup matches the direction. The one performing the puja should be wearing yellow clothes and should sit on a yellow seat.
- The diya should be lit with cow’s ghee mixed with Haldi.
- Only yellow-coloured flowers are offered to Lakshmi and Narayan, preferably marigolds. Offer yellow-coloured fruits like bananas or mangos.
- Put a small tilak of Kesar on the murti of Lakshmi and Narayana and apply the same tilak on your forehead or the person doing the puja.
- Later after the puja is done, add gangajal and rosewater to Haldi powder and mark a "Shree" symbol on your home locker and on the main door of the house for blessings from Ma Laxmi.
- Offer prasad to the gods and goddesses. Like everything else, it is better to prepare Prasad from something yellow such as besan or gram flour.
- Chant the “Om Shreem Satyalokapalakaya Namah” mantra 108 times. You can also chant the Lakshmi Ganesh Katha at the end of the puja.
- After this is done offer prayers to the deities along with your families. Ask for blessings and forgiveness.
- Distribute the prasad to family members and in the neighborhood.
Importance of Lakshmi Ganesh Pooja
Laxmi puja during Diwali is one of the most significant rituals that is celebrated in almost all households throughout the country. People believe that on this auspicious day goddess Lakshmi descends on earth to bless everyone with wealth luck and prosperity. People perform Lakshmi puja Vidhi at home and observe fast to do the puja.
What Items Are Required for Diwali Puja?
To do Lakshmi Ganesh Puja Diwali Vidhi at home you will need the following Diwali puja samagri-
- Red cloth
- Lotus flower
- Tulsi leaves
- Conch
- Chuniri
- Mango leaves
- Kesar/saffron
- Haldi
- Sindoor
- Incense sticks
- Fruits for prasad
- Yellow flowers
Spiritual Significance of Diwali-
Diwali in India is celebrated in the Kartika month which falls between the months of October and November. Apart from the pujas, lights, and firecrackers Diwali also signifies new beginnings and each of the four days holds special meaning in the hearts of the people.
It is a festival of giving gifts to all our near and dear ones and forgiving all the mistakes made throughout the year. The air is filled with love, joy, and laughter.
Waking up in the very morning during Diwali holds special meaning. It is believed to be a blessing of health, discipline, work ethics, and most importantly spiritual refreshment.
It is a festival of unity. Children and all the other members of the family come back home during Diwali to celebrate it together with their loved ones.
According to ancient stories, it is the day when good won over evil. So, Diwali also signifies the journey of our hearts from the darkness to the light.
What is the Importance of Dhanteras?
On the day of Dhanteras, people buy new jewellery and new utensils to mark the beginning of Diwali. The word Dahnteras comes from the word 'Dhan' which means wealth and 'teras' which means thirteen. The day falls on the 13th lunar day of Krishna paksha of the Hindu calendar. So, this day is celebrated to increase the wealth and prosperity of families.
If you are planning on doing Lakshmi Ganesh puja at home, Pujarambh can help you out with that. They offer all kinds of puja path services, and you can also Book a Pandit Ji for Lakshmi Ganesh Puja from our website.