Diwali Puja is one of the most important rituals of the festival. It is a time for families to come together, pray for prosperity, happiness, and good health, and celebrate the victory of good over evil. Here's a simple and easy-to-follow guide to performing the Diwali Puja at home, step by step.

Step 1: Clean and Decorate the pooja Area

Why It’s Done:
The first step in any spiritual practice is to ensure that the space is clean and pure. A tidy environment allows positive energy to flow.

How to Do It:

• Clean the room or area where you plan to perform the pooja. It is customary to perform diwali puja in a living room, prayer room, or even an open area if desired.
• Decorate the area with flowers, rangoli (colorful floor patterns), and fairy lights.
• Place a clean cloth (usually red or yellow) on a flat surface, such as a table, for the puja items.

Step 2: Set Up the Puja Thali (Prayer Plate)

Why It’s Done:
The puja thali (prayer plate) is where all the offerings are placed. It is used to make offerings to the deities during the prayer ceremony.

How to Do It:

• Prepare the Thali with the following items:
  • Diyas (oil lamps or small candles)
  • Incense sticks or dhoop
  • Agarbattis (incense) or camphor
  • Flowers (marigold or other auspicious flowers)
  • Fruits (such as bananas, apples, or pomegranates)
  • Sweets (like laddoos, barfis, and other diwali sweets)
  • Coins or small gold ornaments (symbolizing wealth)
  • Kumkum or Haldi (for applying on idols and people)
  • Betel leaves or paan (optional)
  • Tulsi leaves (if available)

Step 3: Place the Idols or Pictures of Deities

Why It’s Done:
In diwali Puja, people primarily worship Lord Ganesha (the remover of obstacles) and Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth and prosperity). Some also worship Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, and Lord Vishnu.

How to Do It:

• Place the idol or picture of Lord Ganesha on the puja thali or the platform.
• Place the idol or picture of Goddess Lakshmi next to it, ensuring they are both at the center of attention.
• You can also include Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, and Lord Krishna based on your family tradition.

Step 4: Light the Diyas (Oil Lamps)

Why It’s Done:
Lighting diyas symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. It also invites positive energy into your home.

How to Do It:

• Light diyas and place them around the puja area, on the puja thali, and around the house. Traditionally, they are placed near doorways and windows.
• Light incense sticks (agarbattis) to purify the air and create a peaceful atmosphere.

Step 5: Offer Flowers and Prayers

Why It’s Done:
Flowers are offered as a symbol of purity and devotion to the deities. Prayers help in invoking blessings for prosperity, health, and peace.

How to Do It:

• Offer fresh flowers at the feet of the deities (Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi). You can place the flowers on the puja thali or gently place them in front of the idols.
• Bow down to the deities, and say a prayer or mantra. You can say:
  • "Om Gan Ganapataye Namah" (for Lord Ganesha)
  • "Om Shreem maha Lakshmiyei Namah" (for Goddess Lakshmi)
  • "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah" (a prayer for universal peace and happiness)

Step 6: Offer Sweets, fruits, and Other Offerings

Why It’s Done:
Offering sweets, fruits, and other offerings is a way of showing gratitude and devotion to the deities.

How to Do It:

• Offer sweets like laddoos, barfis, or peda to the deities. Place them on the puja thali as an offering.
• Place fruits (bananas, apples, pomegranates, etc.) near the idols or on the puja thali.
• You may also offer coins or silver items to Goddess lakshmi to invite prosperity into your life.

Step 7: Perform the Aarti (Prayer Ritual)

Why It’s Done:
Aarti is a special devotional song sung in praise of the deities. It is accompanied by waving a lighted lamp (usually a diya or camphor) in front of the idols.

How to Do It:

• Light camphor or a lamp and hold it in your right hand. You will gently rotate the lamp in a clockwise direction in front of the deities while singing the Aarti.
• You can sing the traditional Diwali Aarti:
  • "Om jai Lakshmi Mata" (for Goddess Lakshmi)
  • "Jai Ganesh Deva" (for Lord Ganesha)
  • Sing with devotion, waving the light around the idols.

Step 8: Chant Mantras or Prayers for Prosperity

Why It’s Done:
Chanting mantras invokes the blessings of the deities and invites prosperity into the home.

How to Do It:

• Recite the lakshmi Ashtakshari Mantra:
  • "Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyai Namah"
• You can also recite the mantra for Lord Ganesha:
  • "Om Gan Ganapataye Namah"
• These mantras are repeated 108 times or as many times as desired to seek blessings.

Step 9: Perform the Pradakshina (Circumambulation)

Why It’s Done:
Pradakshina means walking around the deities in a clockwise direction. It is a gesture of respect and reverence for the divine.

How to Do It:

• Walk around the idols in a clockwise direction, bowing your head or folding your hands in prayer after every round.
• Typically, you perform 3 to 7 rounds during the diwali Puja.

Step 10: Conclude the pooja with Prayers and Gratitude

Why It’s Done:
This is the final moment where you offer your gratitude and ask for blessings for the year ahead.

How to Do It:

• Close the pooja with a prayer for health, wealth, peace, and happiness for yourself, your family, and the world.
• You can recite the Shanti Mantra:
  • "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah"
  • It means, "May all be happy, may all be healthy."

Step 11: Distribute Prasad (Offerings) to Family and Guests

Why It’s Done:
The prasad is the blessed offering from the deities that is shared with others as a sign of spiritual nourishment and goodwill.

How to Do It:

• Distribute the prasad (sweets, fruits, and other offerings) to everyone present in the puja.
• You may also offer the prasad to guests or neighbors as a gesture of sharing the divine blessings.

Step 12: Enjoy the diwali Celebration

Why It’s Done:
Now that the puja is complete, it’s time to enjoy the festive atmosphere with your loved ones.

How to Do It:

• Light up fireworks and sparklers (safely) in the evening.
• Enjoy the delicious Diwali sweets and snacks with your family and friends.
• Share the joy, spread happiness, and embrace the spirit of the festival!

Conclusion:

Performing diwali Puja at home is an important tradition that brings prosperity, joy, and peace into the household. It is a beautiful opportunity to connect spiritually with the divine and celebrate the festival with family and friends. By following these simple steps, you can ensure a meaningful and auspicious diwali celebration in your home.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, employer, or company. All information provided is for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers are advised to verify facts and seek professional advice where necessary. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.