Right way to celebrate Diwali

Oct. 26, 2019

By Annu Sachdeva

Diwali is the most significant Hindu festival in India. People light diyas and pray to Goddess Laxmi for prosperity on this day.

Diwali is the biggest festival for Hindus. On this auspicious day, we invite Goddess Laxmi in our house by worshiping her for the prosperity and wealth. Our entrance is the face of the house, this has to be beautifully adorned as it is believed she only enters the homes welcoming her. Fresh flowers especially marigold with mango leaves are used because it resembles gold and give a lovely fragrance.

Make Rangoli to add colour and beauty as it is very auspicious. Make auspicious symbols and flowers to attract prosperity. Add diyas to this for a more vibrant effect. If you have floating flowers then make sure they are on your left side while facing out. Never have water on both side of the main door, as it brings sorrow.

Bandhan Vaars are brought every year to replace the old ones as this also adds to the luck of the house and its inhabitants. We pass under this the whole year and it gives us protection from bad energies entering our house. Having Kauris in the Bandhan vaar is extremely auspicious as these are favourites of Ma Laxmi and bring wealth.

Other auspicious symbols like Om and Swastika give protection. Images of Kalash, mango leaves and round pots of gold are also very effective.

Put footprints of Laxmi ji inside the house as she would walk inside the house. These prints or stickers can lead up to your mandir or safes. Shubh Labh has to be written on the main door and on your lockers. You can even buy stickers of the same or make a paste of Saffron and turmeric and write it yourself.

Play music to keep your spirits high while doing all the above written rituals. This could be mantras or even any other music which makes you dance. Children are very good energies in the house, involve them in whatever interests them the most. There should be lots of food on the table including fruits, dry fruit and other goodies during the entire day to keep everybody’s energies happy.

Last but not the least is the lights in the house as they set the mood too. Decorate the house like a bride and yellow warm lights are preferred to neon lights as they resemble the colour of gold.

After decorating the house, set your prayer area with all the items needed for evening puja. The mandatory things are idols of Ma Laxmi and Ganesh Ji with Saraswati Ma. A thali for prayer, ganga jal, fruits, dry fruits, rice, rose petals, Lotus flower, Pan leaves, supari, Mithai, gold or silver items bought on Dhanteras, your laptops, books of accounts, roli, mauli, kheel, batashas, a tray of 21 diyas, Two kalash filled with ganga jal, with two coconuts covered with red cloth, tied with moli ,mango leaves covering the rim of the kalash, placed on either side of the idols on a mount of unbroken grains of rice. Two big diyas, one filled with mustard oil and one with desi ghee. Place the oil Diya on the left and the Ghee Diya on the right side. (This is your left side and right side as you sit facing the idols)

In the evening wear new clothes and women should be especially dressed with jeweller and rich clothes to attract positivity and wealth. New clothes add to the festive mood and energy.

During the muhurat, do your prayers with lots of feelings. You can give the offerings of all the things collected with chants going on in the background or you can recite the mantras yourself. When you speak from your heart Ma Laxmi will listen to you. Reciting Shri Laxmi Suktam 27 times is very auspicious and attracts wealth and abundance of all kinds, as there are eight kinds of Laxmi. They encompass everything you may need in life. They are as follows and should be recited during your prayers.

Om Adya Laxmi Namah

Om Vidya Laxmi Namah

Om Saubhagya Laxmi Namah

Om Amrit Laxmi Namah

Om Kaam Laxmi Namah

Om Satya Laxmi Namah

Om Bhog Laxmi Namah

Om Yog Laxmi Namah

Do everything with lots of hope and pure feelings in your heart and see wealth and abundance flow in your life.

Diwali puja is always done in fixed lagans so that the wealth and prosperity which comes in, should stay in the house and not go away. There are two fixed lagnas; one Taurus which would commence from approximately 7pm till about 8.15 pm in Delhi NCR. This lagan is good for inviting all Devi Devtas and doing our puja. The other lagan is Leo which would start at around 1.15 am till 3am, this is the time when Shri Laxmi Suktam puja is done continuously for 27 times for best results. Done even ones is good but if you do it multiple times for example 5,7,11 or 21 times, it yields excellent results.

So do all that you can do with full heart. Wishing you all a very prosperous Diwali.