Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha Puja on Diwali

Diwali, or Deepavali as the festival is otherwise called, is a major Hindu festival celebrated on Amavasya or new moon day in the month of Kartika. While some people celebrate the festival to mark the victory of Lord Krishna over the asura Narakasura, some others celebrate it to hail the arrival of Lord Rama with Sita and Lakshmana to Ayodhya after their exile.

Whatever be the reason for celebration, the Diwali celebrations are not complete without a pooja in the evenings to invoke the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. This pooja typically lasts for about a couple of hours. Hindus believe that Goddess Lakshmi visits their house on Diwali night to bless them with prosperity and wealth.

Rama Worshipped Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha

It is said that the first thing that Lord Rama did as soon as he returned to Ayodhya was to worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. He prayed to the god and goddess for happiness, well-being, and prosperity. Goddess Lakshmi is the goddess of money and wealth. On the other hand, Lord Ganesha is associated with intelligence, wisdom, and success.

Lord Krishna Performed Lakshmi Pooja

According to another story, Lord Krishna performed a Lakshmi pooja as soon as he returned to Mathura after killing the demon Narakasura. He did the pooja to thank her for helping him win the battle over the asura. Goddess Lakshmi is the consort of Lord Vishnu and Krishna himself is an avatar of the Lord.

How the Pooja is Done

Hindus practice the tradition of praying to the two deities on Diwali night as a religious custom called Diwali Pooja. They recite hymns from the Lakshmi Chalisa and Ganesha Chalisa as part of the prayers.

The essence of this pooja is to be blessed by the deities with health, wisdom, intelligence, wealth, and prosperity. When a devotee prays to both the goddess and the lord, he/she is blessed with all of these traits. He/she is also is bestowed with good luck all through the year. The pooja is also a reminder for human beings to pay their obeisance to the Almighty before embarking on any venture.

The pooja must be done facing the north or northeast corner of the house. If it is not possible to do the pooja in either of these corners, you can opt for the east-facing direction of your house. The area where the pooja is performed must be cleaned thoroughly before beginning the pooja. This is because clean surroundings attract positive energy and vibes.

There should be no black or dark coloured objects in the area surrounding where the pooja is done. You should also avoid wearing clothes in these colours. Lighten the dark areas in your home. You can offer the deities modaks, gold, milk, and fruits.

Lord Ganesha should be placed on the right side of Goddess Lakshmi. The deities must be in a sitting position. Most Hindus that interchanging their positions and choosing different postures pave way for bad luck and deprive them of their efforts to seek success. However, there are a few of them who do not believe in this.

It is also believed that Goddess Lakshmi insists that her devotees must pray to her only after worshipping Lord Ganesha. She gave Goddess Parvati this promise when she adopted the latter’s son as her own son. This is the main reason why Ganesha is seated to the right of the goddess during the pooja as the left side is intended for the wife.  She also assured the goddess that anyone who wishes to pray to her must first pay their homage to Ganesha. Money and wealth are of no use to a person when he/she does not know how to use them wisely. A person who has no intellect will misuse his/her wealth.

Written by Deepthi K