Preprations for Diwali Pooja!

One day before DhanTeras, I start preparing for Diwali Pujan.  It all starts with cleaning the mandir , washing  all the utensils to be used , polishing all the brass and silver items and getting mandir ready for Puja. I also buy or assemble all the things required for puja .

Following is the list of items I use for Puja.

1. Ganesh and Laxmi Idols
2. Red or pink cloth( to place idols)
3. Rice - 4 cups
4. Beetle nut -1
5. Flowers - Assorted and rose petals(  add Lotus flower if it is available easily)
6. Silver /Gold Coins
7. Mango leaves
8. Tumeric powder
9. KumKum powder
10. Main Diya with wick  ( lamp with clarified butter or ghee)
11. Lighter
12. Puffed Rice
13.  Batasha (Sugar Candy)
14. Panchamrit( milk, plain yogurt, ghee or clarified butter, honey and tulsi leaves)
15. Sweets - Laddoo for Ganeshji, Assorted sweets for Laxmiji
16. A new Pen and a notebook
17. A small red cloth with  1 tablespoon of whole  coriander/cilantro seeds
18. 1 Steel thali with Milk and Water
19. Ganesh Arti , laxmi Arti and Om jai jagdish arti.( u may use books, DVD or online.
20. Kalash
21. Tissue paper
22. Five diyas in a tray with flowers.
23. Small mandir bell.

On diwali day

 Two hours before Pooja

1. Take a steel thali and put puffed rice with batasha on the top.
2. Make a small thali with Tumeric, kumkum, flowers,and Big diya with ghee and wick . Place the lighter next to it.
3. Put  3/4 water in kalash  and put a flower, betelnut and a pinch of haldi and few grains of rice in it.
4.  Cover the kalash with lid and fill it with rice grains.
5. Make a mound of rice and place this kalash on top of it.
6. Make Charanamrit.keep a spoon handy with it
7. Mix water and milk together and put it a small bowl and put gold and silver coins in it.
8. Put the sweets in a place and cover it with cling film.
9. Put the coriander seeds in a small cloth and tie a knot.
10. Place the arti books, dvd or Ipod closeby.
11. Your mandir is all set for pooja.
12. Small fresh towel

 People in different parts in India have their own way and traditions for diwali puja. For me diwali is the time to reinvoke our traditions, celebrate with friends and family  and seek blessings from our elders and God.

In my house , diwali pooja is very simple and easy.

• Get dressed in traditional indian clothes.
• Get together in mandir .
• We start with Guru Stuti .
• Then we sprinkle water on ganesh ji and Laxshmiji. Wipe the idols with fresh soft towel.
• Offer  Haldi Kumkum flowers to idols. 
• Take out the coins from milk water , wipe them and apply haldi and kumkum and flowers.
• Write Om  on the notebook with the pen.Place it in place of business or office after the puja..
•  Place the red cloth with Coriander seeds in the place where you  keep the money and jewelery.
•  Arti Ganeshji
• Arti Laxmiji
• Arti Om Jai Jagdish.
• Offer Prasad to dieties.
• Distribute charanamrit to everyone present.
• Distribute  Sweets , puffed rice to everyone present.

• Note:
• 
  
• Just use small bell for arti. Do not clap hands or use big instruments in this puja. We want Laxmi ji to come and stay. We don't want to scare her away.
• Take care of the diyas  with children and make sure if it off before you go to sleep. You might keep a flameless candle on throughout the night if you wish .
• If you live in an area where there in no Indian Grocery store or you cannot find certain items, do not worry. God only wants our good intentions and a pure heart .  
• May you all have a happy blessed diwali!

Practical aspects

1. Mandatory  yearly cleaning .( Springcleaning for Indians in Autumn.)
2. Welcome change of season with fall with  decorating homes with candles , diyas , flowers, rangolis and bandanwars.
3. Connect , renew and build relationships with family and friends.
4. Reconnect to Indian traditions and culture.
5. Recollection of earlier diwalis.