Diwali Lakshmi Puja Vidhi at Home 2026: Muhurat, Steps & Lakshmi Ganesh Idol Direction

Introduction

It's 6 PM on Diwali night. The rangoli is done, the diyas are lined up, and someone in the family asks how to do the Diwali puja at home, and then the question that comes up every year: "Ganesh ji kis taraf baithenge?"

For a puja that happens once a year, it's easy to forget the order, the direction and the small rules that make it complete. This guide puts the full Lakshmi puja vidhi and the Lakshmi Ganesh murti direction in one place, so your Diwali puja at home runs smoothly from the first diya to the final aarti.

Diwali 2026 Date and Lakshmi Puja Muhurat

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, on Kartik Amavasya. Lakshmi Puja is done in Pradosh Kaal, the period after sunset while Amavasya tithi is running. The windows below are the most auspicious part of it for each city.

Timings as per Panchang. Living in Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur or Ahmedabad? Find your city's exact Diwali puja time on the same page or in your local panchang. Many families also prefer to start the puja in Vrishabh (Taurus) Lagna, a fixed lagna believed to make wealth stay, so ask your family pandit or astrologer for that window in your city.

Diwali 2026 dates at a glance

Planning your shopping too? Read our Dhanteras 2026 guide for what to buy by rashi.

Lakshmi Puja Samagri List

Keep everything ready on a thali before the muhurat starts, so you don't get up mid-puja.

For the Altar

• Wooden chowki

• Red or yellow cloth

• New Lakshmi and Ganesh idols

• Kuber yantra or coins

• Account books or cash box

For the Puja

• Kalash with water, mango leaves and a coconut

• Roli, haldi and akshat (rice)

• Lotus or red flowers and a marigold garland

• Ghee diya, incense and camphor

• Panchamrit and Gangajal

Offerings (Bhog)

• Kheer or khil-batashe

• Seasonal fruits

• Sweets and dry fruits

• Paan, supari and cloves

• Dakshina coins

Short on time? A ready Diwali Pooja Kit saves you the last-minute market run.

Lakshmi Ganesh Murti Direction and Placement (Vastu Rules)

The placement rule most people search for: when you face the altar, Ganesh sits on your left and Lakshmi sits on your right. Ganesh removes obstacles first, and Lakshmi brings in the wealth.

Separate idols are traditionally preferred over a single joined Lakshmi Ganesh murti, because each deity receives its own puja. If you're choosing new ones this year, browse our Lakshmi Ganesh idols and statues.

What If Your Northeast Corner Isn't Available?

In many apartments, the northeast has a bathroom or a balcony. Use the cleanest spot in the north or east part of the home instead, and keep the altar away from staircases and bathroom walls. A clean, raised and respectful altar matters more than a perfect corner.

Lakshmi Puja Vidhi at Home: Step by Step

The order never changes: Ganesh first, then Lakshmi, then Kuber. Ganesh is the pratham pujya, worshipped before every deity, and Lakshmi stays only where obstacles are cleared.

1. Prepare the home. Clean the house by afternoon, take a bath and wear fresh clothes. Draw a rangoli at the entrance with Lakshmi's footprints pointing inward.

2. Set up the altar. Place the chowki in the northeast, spread a red cloth and seat the idols. Put the kalash with mango leaves and a coconut in front.

3. Light the main diya. Light a large ghee diya that can burn through the night, then sprinkle Gangajal on the altar and on yourself.

4. Take the sankalp. Hold water, akshat and a flower in your right hand. Say your name, gotra, the date and your wish for the family, then release it before the idols.

5. Worship Ganesh. Offer tilak, durva grass, flowers and laddoo. Chant "Om Gam Ganapataye Namah" 11 times.

6. Worship Lakshmi. Offer panchamrit, roli, lotus or red flowers, kheer and sweets. Chant "Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah" 108 times.

7. Worship Kuber and your wealth. Place coins, the cash box and account books before the idols. Draw a swastik with roli and write "Shubh Labh", then chant "Om Kuberaya Namah".

8. Perform the aarti. Sing Lakshmi aarti with camphor and a ghee diya, ring the bell and offer the bhog to the family.

9. Light up the home. Carry diyas from the puja room to every room, the kitchen and the main door. Keep one diya burning at the entrance all night.

Two small rules many families follow: Don't sweep the house after the puja, and keep the main door slightly open so Lakshmi can enter.

Diwali Puja at a Shop or Office (Chopda Pujan)

Business owners follow the same order, with one addition: the new account books. Place the chopda or bahi-khata, the cash box and the shop keys before Lakshmi. Draw a swastik on the first page with roli, write "Shubh Labh" and "Shri" at the top, and offer flowers and akshat. Many traders do this puja at the shop first and then at home, so check both timings in advance.

Lakshmi Aarti: Om Jai Lakshmi Mata

Sing this aarti at the end of the puja with a camphor or ghee diya. Repeat the first line after every verse.

ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता, मैया जय लक्ष्मी माता। तुमको निशदिन सेवत, हरि विष्णु विधाता॥

उमा, रमा, ब्रह्माणी, तुम ही जग-माता। सूर्य-चन्द्रमा ध्यावत, नारद ऋषि गाता॥

दुर्गा रूप निरंजनी, सुख सम्पत्ति दाता। जो कोई तुमको ध्यावत, ऋद्धि-सिद्धि धन पाता॥

तुम पाताल-निवासिनि, तुम ही शुभदाता। कर्म-प्रभाव-प्रकाशिनी, भवनिधि की त्राता॥

जिस घर में तुम रहतीं, सब सद्गुण आता। सब सम्भव हो जाता, मन नहीं घबराता॥

तुम बिन यज्ञ न होते, वस्त्र न कोई पाता। खान-पान का वैभव, सब तुमसे आता॥

शुभ-गुण मन्दिर सुन्दर, क्षीरोदधि-जाता। रत्न चतुर्दश तुम बिन, कोई नहीं पाता॥

महालक्ष्मीजी की आरती, जो कोई जन गाता। उर आनन्द समाता, पाप उतर जाता॥

Om Jai Lakshmi Mata, Maiya Jai Lakshmi Mata, Tumko nishdin sevat, Hari Vishnu Vidhata.

The opening line means: "Victory to Mother Lakshmi, whom Hari, Vishnu and the Creator serve day and night." Wording differs slightly between families, so sing the version your elders taught you.

New Idol on Diwali: What to Do with Old Idols

Most families bring home new clay idols of Lakshmi and Ganesh every Diwali. Clay murtis are meant for one year of worship, so a new pair keeps the energy fresh.

Metal idols in brass, silver or ashtadhatu are different. You don't need to replace them; clean them, re-energise them with Gangajal and keep worshipping them.

For old clay idols, never throw them away or leave them in a corner. Immerse them respectfully in clean water at home, then pour that water into a plant pot. You can also place them under a peepal tree or give them to a temple. Chipped or broken idols should be retired the same way, before Diwali if you can.

Conclusion

Lakshmi doesn't need an expensive puja. She needs a clean home, a lit doorway and a puja done in the right order at the right time.

So set the chowki in the northeast, keep Ganesh on your left, and start your aarti inside the muhurat on 8 November. The rest is devotion.

Want the Acharya to check your home's puja direction or your kundli before Diwali? Our astrologers can guide you one on one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you do Lakshmi Puja at home on Diwali?
A: Clean the home, set a chowki with red cloth in the northeast and seat new Lakshmi and Ganesh idols. Take a sankalp, worship Ganesh first, then Lakshmi with flowers, kheer and the Mahalakshmi mantra, then Kuber and your account books. End with aarti and light diyas across the house.

Q: What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on 8 November 2026?
A: The Pradosh Kaal muhurat on Sunday, 8 November 2026 is 5:47 PM to 7:13 PM in Delhi and 6:18 PM to 7:44 PM in Mumbai. Other cities shift by 10 to 30 minutes, so confirm with your local panchang.

Q: In which direction should Lakshmi Ganesh face?
A: Place the Lakshmi Ganesh idols in the northeast of the home or puja room, facing into the room, so that you face east or north while praying. Never sit facing south during the puja.

Q: Which Lakshmi mantra should I chant during Diwali puja?
A: The simplest is "Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah", chanted 108 times on a lotus seed or crystal mala. Begin with "Om Gam Ganapataye Namah" for Ganesh before it.

Q: Can I do Lakshmi Puja at home without a pandit?
A: Yes. Most families perform Diwali Lakshmi Puja themselves. Follow the order of Ganesh, then Lakshmi, then Kuber, take a simple sankalp in your own words, and complete the aarti within your city's muhurat.