Lakshmi Puja Samagri for Diwali

The list

Customs differ a great deal by region and family. Follow your family's list or your priest's.

• Murtis or a framed picture of Lakshmi and Ganesha. Some families buy a new pair each year, and others reuse theirs.
• A low seat (chowki) or clean table with a red or yellow cloth.
• A kalash (= water pot) filled with water, with five mango leaves around the mouth and a coconut wrapped in red thread on top. A coin, a betel nut, turmeric and rice go inside.
• Coins, silver or ordinary, on a small plate, worshipped as a symbol of Lakshmi.
• One main ghee lamp, and small clay diyas (a traditional list names at least 25) with cotton wicks and ghee or oil.
• Flowers: lotus if you can get it, otherwise marigold and rose, plus garlands. Durva (= fine grass) for Ganesha.
• Kumkum, turmeric, akshat (= unbroken rice), sandalwood paste and a red thread.
• Betel leaves and nuts, sweets, fruit, dry fruit and panchamrit. In North India, puffed rice (khil or lawa) and batasha (= small sugar drops) are common.
• Camphor, incense and a bell.
• New account books, a pen and ink, for families who keep Chopda Pujan (= worship of the new books).
• Some families also offer lotus seeds (kamal gatta) and cowrie shells (kaudi). This is a family custom, not a rule.

Preparation

Finish the house cleaning before the day, and gather the samagri a day ahead. Soak the cotton wicks in ghee or oil. Set the lamps on metal or ceramic plates, away from curtains, paper and smoke alarms. Spread the cloth on the chowki, set up the murtis and the kalash, and put the coins on their plate. Keep the sweets covered. The puja is done in the evening, and the site shows the window for your city.

Substitutes

• Lotus: marigold or rose.
• Lotus seeds: rose petals.
• Ghee: sesame oil.
• Silver coin: any clean coin.
• Mango leaves: betel or ashoka leaves.
• Kalash: copper, brass or clay. A clean steel pot is used by some families.
• Any missing item: akshat offered in its place.
• Open flame: LED diyas, if the building does not allow flames.

Where to buy in the USA

• Indian grocery and sweet shops: around Diwali they often stock clay diyas, murtis, puffed rice, batasha, sweets and puja kits.
• Temples: many sell murtis, kits and diyas around the festival.
• Jewelers and online shops: some sell small silver coins marked with Lakshmi and Ganesha, usually before Dhanteras. Ordinary coins are fine.
• Ordinary supermarket: marigolds and roses, coconut, fruit, nuts, sugar and ghee.
• Online: order murtis, kits and diyas well ahead, since Diwali is the busiest season.