Diwali Lakshmi puja vidhi 2026, step by step, with the samagri list
Diwali Lakshmi puja is on Sunday 8 November 2026, and in Lucknow the muhurat is 5:42 to 7:39 PM (Drik Panchang). Set up the chowki before sunset, worship Ganesh first, then the kalash, then Lakshmi with about 16 offerings, light the diyas and end with aarti. Below: each step, the samagri and the timings.
At a glance
- DateSun 8 Nov 2026
- Lucknow muhurat5:42 to 7:39 PM
- Takes45 min to 2 hours
- Pandit onlineStarting from ₹4,590 with us
What time is Lakshmi puja on 8 November 2026?
In Lucknow, do the Lakshmi puja between 5:42 and 7:39 PM on Sunday 8 November, when the pradosh period and the steady Vrishabha lagna overlap. Delhi's window is 5:54 to 7:50 PM. Amavasya runs from 11:27 AM on 8 November to 12:31 PM on 9 November, so the evening puja falls fully inside it.
| Timing | Lucknow | New Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Lakshmi puja muhurat | 5:42 to 7:39 PM | 5:54 to 7:50 PM |
| Pradosh kaal | 5:19 to 7:56 PM | 5:31 to 8:09 PM |
| Mahanishita (late night) | 11:24 PM to 12:16 AM | 11:39 PM to 12:31 AM |
| Amavasya | 11:27 AM, 8 Nov to 12:31 PM, 9 Nov | same |
Source: Drik Panchang city pages for Lucknow and New Delhi, checked 7 Oct 2026; Prokerala matches the tithi times.
Some sites print 5:32 to 7:28 PM for Delhi. Drik and Prokerala agree with each other, so we use them. Lucknow starts 12 minutes earlier than Delhi, so don't use a Delhi time here, and confirm the final timing with your pandit.
How do you do Lakshmi puja at home, step by step?
Clean the house and set up the chowki before sunset. In the muhurat, take the sankalp, worship Ganesh first, then the kalash, then Lakshmi with about 16 offerings from welcome to ornaments. Worship Kuber and the account books, light the diyas, do the aarti with a bell, and share the prasad.
| Step | What you do | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prepare | Clean the house, sprinkle Gangajal, draw rangoli at the entrance, hang a toran of mango leaves and marigold. | Fasting through the day is optional. |
| 2. Set the chowki | Cover a clean wooden stool with red cloth. Ganesh on the left, Lakshmi on the right. Put a kalash with mango leaves and a coconut in front. | Face east or north while you sit. |
| 3. Sankalp | With water in your hand, say your name, gotra, place, the date and your wish. | A pandit leads this if you have one. |
| 4. Ganesh puja | Offer flowers, rice and sweets to Ganesh before anyone else. | Skipping Ganesh is a listed mistake. |
| 5. Kalash puja | Offer roli, rice and a flower to the kalash. | It stands for the whole pantheon. |
| 6. Lakshmi puja | Invite her, offer a seat, welcome, foot water, a bath of milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar, cloth, ornaments, sindoor and kumkum. | Lists vary by tradition, so about 16 offerings. |
| 7. Kuber and account books | Place the books, coins and jewellery with Lakshmi and mark a swastika on the book. | Gujarati families do chopda pujan. |
| 8. Deepdaan | Light an odd number of ghee or mustard-oil diyas: 11, 21 or 51. | Puja diya first. |
| 9. Aarti and prasad | Sing "Om Jai Lakshmi Mata" with a bell, then share the prasad with family and neighbours. | Bell, not clapping. |
Two short mantras: "Om Gam Ganapataye Namah" for Ganesh, a salutation to the remover of obstacles, and "Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah" for Lakshmi, a salutation to Mahalakshmi using her seed sound. Bengal does Kali puja that same night.
What samagri do you need for Lakshmi puja?
You need a chowki with red cloth, Lakshmi and Ganesh idols of clay, brass or silver, a kalash with mango leaves and a coconut, roli, haldi, rice, betel nuts, coins, panchamrit, fresh garlands, sweets, khil and batashe, at least 11 clay diyas with ghee or oil, camphor and a bell for the aarti.
| For | Items | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Chowki and idols | Wooden stool, red cloth, yellow cloth, new Ganesh and Lakshmi idols (clay, brass or silver), kalash, mango leaves, coconut | One of each |
| Puja | Haldi, kumkum, rice, betel nut, coin, ghee, camphor, incense, Gangajal, panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) | One small bowl each |
| Flowers and leaves | Fresh garlands, durva grass, bilva leaves | At least 3 garlands |
| Bhog | Sweets, fruit, sugarcane, khil, batashe, sweet paan | At least 3 paan |
| Account books | Books, inkpot, pen, coins or jewellery | As you have |
| Diyas | Clay lamps, ghee or mustard oil, cotton wicks | 5 large and 25 or more small (Drik) |
| Aarti | Aarti thali, camphor, bell, shankh | One set |
Amazon prices in late September 2026: diya sets ₹69 to ₹979, puja thalis median ₹899, brass idols median ₹499 (Zoutons, Sep 2026). Choose clay diyas and loose flowers, not plastic.
Make the entrance and the puja corner glow
Marigold toran, floral entrance and puja corner, set up in Lucknow.
Which flowers are offered to Lakshmi?
Lotus, marigold and red roses are the usual Lakshmi flowers, with at least three fresh garlands for the chowki. Many families avoid white flowers for Lakshmi. Tulsi is disputed: Drik Panchang's samagri list includes it, other sources say not to offer it to Lakshmi, so follow your family's custom.
What mistakes should you avoid on Lakshmi puja?
Don't skip Ganesh at the start, and don't use a Delhi or Mumbai muhurat in Lucknow. Avoid glass or iron idols, clapping during the aarti, and leaving the house dark or untidy during the muhurat. Keep non-veg food and alcohol out of the house that day.
Leaving dirty dishes out and disrespecting elders or women of the house are also listed as mistakes (Navbharat Live, SmartPuja).
What are the other days of Diwali week in 2026?
Dhanteras is on Friday 6 November, Choti Diwali on 7 November (some calendars show 8 November), Lakshmi puja on Sunday 8 November, Govardhan puja on Tuesday 10 November and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November, per Drik Panchang's Lucknow list.
| Date | Day | What is done |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Nov | Friday | Dhanteras: Lakshmi with Kuber and Dhanvantari, buying metal |
| 7 Nov | Saturday | Choti Diwali (Kali Chaudas) |
| 8 Nov | Sunday | Lakshmi puja |
| 10 Nov | Tuesday | Govardhan puja |
| 11 Nov | Wednesday | Bhai Dooj |
All pujas and muhurat dates, October to February.
Frequently asked questions
Can we do Lakshmi puja at home without a pandit?
Yes. Most families in Lucknow do it themselves: set up the chowki and kalash, worship Ganesh first, then Lakshmi with flowers, rice, roli, sweets and diyas, read the aarti and share prasad. A pandit helps if you want the full shodashopachar with mantras or a havan, which takes about an hour.
Which direction should the idols face?
Sit facing east or north while you worship. Place Ganesh on the left and Lakshmi on the right on a chowki covered with red cloth, with the kalash in front. If your room doesn’t allow it, choose a clean, quiet corner where the family can sit together and the diyas are safe.
Should Lakshmi puja be done before or after sunset?
After sunset. The puja is done in pradosh kaal, the period that starts at sunset, ideally while the steady Vrishabha lagna is rising. In Lucknow on 8 November 2026 that overlap is 5:42 to 7:39 PM. Some families and business houses do a second puja at mahanishita, 11:24 PM to 12:16 AM.
How many diyas should we light on Diwali?
An odd number is customary: 11, 21 or 51. Drik Panchang’s samagri list asks for 5 large and at least 25 small clay lamps. Light the puja diya first during the muhurat, then the rest at the entrance, windows and balcony. Use ghee or mustard oil and keep them away from curtains.
What should we do with last year’s Lakshmi-Ganesh idols?
Immerse old idols with a short visarjan prayer in clean flowing water or a pond, as Navbharat Live advises, or in a bucket at home if they are clay. It matters here: Lucknow discarded about three lakh idols after Diwali in 2023, so choose clay idols this year and plan the visarjan.
How much does a pandit charge for Diwali Lakshmi puja?
Online pandit services list about ₹5,100 for a Diwali Lakshmi puja of 45 minutes to an hour, with samagri. myguldasta arranges one in Lucknow starting from ₹4,590, 10% below that, with the steps, time and amount agreed in writing on WhatsApp. Book early, since the evening muhurat fills fast.
the evening, sorted
Make the evening easy
Marigold, diyas and a puja corner, set up in Lucknow before the muhurat.
Sources: Drik Panchang Lakshmi puja timings (Lucknow, Delhi), Drik Lakshmi puja vidhi and samagri · Prokerala Diwali 2026 · SmartPuja Diwali 2026 · Navbharat Live Diwali mistakes · Zoutons Amazon pooja prices, Sep 2026 · IANS, Lucknow idols, 2023
Published 7 October 2026. Last verified 7 October 2026.