Lakshmi Puja on Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, November 8, with the Pradosh Kaal muhurat running from 5:48 PM to 7:14 PM in New Delhi, according to Dekho Panchang. Because the window is only about an hour and a half, the families who feel calm during the puja are the ones who arranged everything the day before.
This guide gives you a clear Diwali puja vidhi for home: the muhurat, a samagri checklist, an ordered set of steps for Lakshmi Pujan, what to do after the puja and a few common mistakes to avoid. Family and regional traditions differ, so use this as a framework and follow your own priest or elders where their practice differs.
Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja Muhurat
Dekho Panchang places Lakshmi Puja on Sunday, November 8, 2026, in Pradosh Kaal on Ashwina Krishna Amavasya. The New Delhi muhurat is 5:48 PM to 7:14 PM. Wikipedia describes the puja as held at dusk on the third day, the darkest night of the festival, when family members gather.
Diwali Puja Timing for Your City
The window shifts by city because sunset differs. Treat the Delhi time as a reference and check a local panchang or temple for your own city. Aim to begin the puja early in the window so the aarti and offerings finish comfortably inside it.
Lakshmi Pooja Samagri: Items You Need
Dekho Panchang’s Lakshmi Puja guide lists 20 items in total and highlights the core materials in the table below. Gather these the day before and lay them out on a tray.
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| New Lakshmi and Ganesha idols or images | The focus of worship |
| Red cloth | Spread over the puja platform |
| Wooden chowki | Platform for the idols |
| Coins and currency notes | Offered to Lakshmi |
| Lotus flowers | Offered during worship |
| Akshat (unbroken rice) | Used in sankalpa and offerings |
| Diyas, wicks and oil or ghee | Lit during and after the puja |
| Sweets, fruit and puffed rice | Offered as prasad |
Use the complete list in your family’s tradition if it is longer, as regional practice varies. A clean tray with every item in the right place saves you from walking away mid-puja.
Diwali Lakshmi Puja Vidhi: Step by Step
Dekho Panchang describes the first three steps of the vidhi, and the later steps below follow the commonly practised order. Your family or priest may add mantras, a kalash or other items, so use this as an outline.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Preparation | Clean the puja area, spread a red cloth on a wooden chowki and place the Lakshmi idol or image at the centre |
| 2. Achamana | Sip water three times from the right palm to purify yourself, reciting the names of Vishnu |
| 3. Sankalpa | Hold water and akshat in your right hand, state the date, place and purpose of the puja, and release them |
| 4. Invoke Ganesha | Begin by offering flowers and a diya to Ganesha, remembered as the remover of obstacles |
| 5. Worship Lakshmi | Offer flowers, rice, coins, sweets and fruit while chanting the mantras your family uses |
| 6. Light the diyas | Light the main diya and place more lamps around the home |
| 7. Aarti | Perform the aarti together as a family |
| 8. Prasad | Share the offered sweets and fruit with everyone present |
Who Is Worshipped Besides Lakshmi
Wikipedia notes that prayers are also offered to Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman and Kubera on this day, and that lamps lit during the puja are used to light more earthen lamps in rows on parapets and around the house.
Business Owners and Chopda Pujan
Many business owners perform a puja for their accounts or tools at this time. Follow your family’s tradition for the exact practice, and keep the business puja separate from the home puja so both get proper attention.
What to Do After the Puja
Wikipedia notes that after the puja, families set off fireworks and then share a feast and mithai, and that Hindus typically do not fast during Diwali but feast instead. Visit neighbours, exchange sweets and greetings, and keep a lamp lit near the main entrance.
Keep the Day Safe
Keep diyas away from curtains and decorations, never leave lit lamps unattended around children, and keep a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher accessible. Pollution and fire risk both rise on Diwali night, so plan the celebration with care.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Starting after the muhurat has begun to close | Begin early in the window and finish with time to spare |
| Searching for items mid-puja | Arrange the samagri the day before |
| Crowding the puja area with decor | Keep the platform clean and simple |
| Using a muhurat from another city | Check your own city’s timing |
| Mixing up family traditions | Ask your elders which sequence they follow |
