Diwali · Rishikesh

• A Lakshmi-Ganesh idol or picture, a chowki spread with red cloth, a kalash filled with water (mango leaves, a coconut) • A ghee lamp, an oil lamp, dhoop/incense sticks, camphor, matches • Roli/kumkum, haldi, sandal paste, akshat (unbroken rice), kalava (sacred thread) • Flowers (lotus/red flowers/marigold), a garland, durva grass (for Ganesh ji) • Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar), a lota of clean water, an achamani or a spoon • Bhog: kheer, kheel-batashe, sweets, fruit • Paan, supari, cloves, cardamom, coins, jewellery, the account books, a pen

• Sit facing east or north. • The idol should be in the east or north-east, with Ganesh ji to Lakshmi ji's left.

• Take a little water in your right palm and sip it three times: • "ॐ केशवाय नमः" • "ॐ नारायणाय नमः" • "ॐ माधवाय नमः" • Then wash your hands: "ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः"

• Take water in your left hand and, with your right hand, sprinkle it over yourself and the puja samagri: • "ॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा। यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥"

• Sprinkle water on your asan: • "ॐ पृथ्वि त्वया धृता लोका देवि त्वं विष्णुना धृता। त्वं च धारय मां देवि पवित्रं कुरु चासनम्॥"

• Place the main ghee lamp towards the north-east, that is, on the deity's right, and the oil lamp on the left. • Light the lamp and offer it akshat and a flower: • "शुभं करोति कल्याणम् आरोग्यं धनसम्पदा। शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते॥"

• Apply a roli tilak on your forehead. • Men tie the kalava on the right wrist, women on the left.

• Holding water, akshat, a flower and a coin in your right hand, say: • "I, (your name), of the (gotra) gotra, today on Kartik Amavasya, on the auspicious occasion of Deepavali, am performing the puja of Shri Ganesh, Maa Mahalakshmi and Kuber ji for the happiness, health and lasting prosperity of my family." • Then release it all before the deity.

• Dhyana: "वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ। निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥" • Sprinkle water, then offer roli, akshat, durva, flowers and laddoo/modak. • Chant three times: "ॐ गं गणपतये नमः"

• Offer roli, akshat and flowers on the kalash: "ॐ वरुणाय नमः"

• Avahan (invocation) — with folded hands, say: "ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः। आवाहयामि, स्थापयामि।" • Then make each offering while saying "ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः": • 1. Asan — one flower • 2. Padya, arghya, achaman — water, three times • 3. Snan (bath) — panchamrit, then clean water (over the idol; on a picture, a sprinkle) • 4. Vastra (cloth) — kalava or a red chunari • 5. Gandha — sandal paste, kumkum, sindoor • 6. Akshat • 7. Pushpa and mala — lotus or red flowers • 8. Dhoop — show the incense • 9. Deep — show the lamp

• Place the thali of kheer, kheel-batashe, sweets and fruit before Maa. • Circle water around the thali, place one flower on it (not tulsi), and say: "ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः। नैवेद्यं निवेदयामि।" • Then offer water for achaman. • Tambool: paan, supari, cloves, cardamom. • Dakshina: coins.

• Draw a swastik in roli on the safe, the account books and the pen, and write "श्री गणेशाय नमः" and "शुभ-लाभ" in the account book. • Place coins and jewellery before Maa: "ॐ कुबेराय नमः"

• Chant 11 or 108 times, or recite the Shri Sukta: • "ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं कमले कमलालये प्रसीद प्रसीद श्रीं ह्रीं श्रीं ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः"

• With the whole family, ringing the bell: "ॐ जय लक्ष्मी माता" and "जय गणेश जय गणेश देवा" • At the end: "कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम्। सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि॥" • Wave the lamp clockwise: 4 times at the feet, 2 at the navel, 1 at the face, then 7 times over the whole form. • After the aarti, sprinkle water on everyone and take the aarti.

• Take flowers in your hands and offer them: • "आवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम्। पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वरि॥"

• From the puja lamp, light the lamps of the whole house: the main door, every window, the balcony, the tulsi, the kitchen and the water place. • One lamp in the south for the ancestors (ulka deepdaan). • Share the prasad and eat together as a family.

• Do not do Lakshmi ji's visarjan tonight. Leave the idol or picture in its place. • Keep one akhand lamp burning through the night, and do not leave the house dark. • Do not offer tulsi to Ganesh ji. • At Nishita Kaal, chant the Lakshmi mantra again.