Lakshmi Puja Vidhi at Home 2026: Samagri, Steps and City Muhurat
Lakshmi Puja 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November. Here is the muhurat for 12 cities, a complete samagri list and an easy step-by-step vidhi for home.
Diwali Lakshmi Puja 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November, and the most auspicious time to do it at home is the evening Pradosh Kaal muhurat, which in New Delhi runs from 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM. Below you will find the muhurat for 12 Indian cities, a complete samagri list you can shop from, and a simple step-by-step puja vidhi that a family can follow at home in about 45 minutes, even without a pandit.
Key Takeaways
- Lakshmi Puja 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November. Amavasya tithi runs from 11:27 AM on 8 November to 12:31 PM on 9 November.
- Drik Panchang lists the New Delhi muhurat as 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM, during Pradosh Kaal with Sthir (Vrishabha) Lagna. Your city’s time will differ by a few minutes to over half an hour.
- The core home puja has eight parts: preparation, sankalp, Ganesh puja, kalash, Lakshmi avahan, offerings, aarti and lighting diyas.
- You need no costly items. A clean chowki, a red cloth, an idol or picture, a kalash, diyas, flowers, sweets and a few coins are the essentials.
- Family and regional traditions vary. Where your elders follow a different sequence, follow them.
Updated October 2026. Muhurat timings below are taken from Drik Panchang’s city-wise pages for Lakshmi Puja 2026.
Lakshmi Puja 2026: Date and Muhurat at a Glance
| Detail | Time (New Delhi) |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
| Lakshmi Puja muhurat | 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM (1 hour 56 minutes) |
| Pradosh Kaal | 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM |
| Vrishabha Kaal (Sthir Lagna) | 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM |
| Amavasya tithi begins | 11:27 AM, 8 November 2026 |
| Amavasya tithi ends | 12:31 PM, 9 November 2026 |
| Mahanishita Kaal | 11:39 PM, 8 November to 12:31 AM, 9 November |
These timings come from Drik Panchang’s Lakshmi Puja 2026 page. Drik Panchang recommends the Pradosh Kaal window for householders, because a fixed (sthir) lagna is believed to help Lakshmi stay in the home. It describes Mahanishita Kaal as more suited to tantric practice and experienced priests, so most families can ignore it.
Some other panchangs publish slightly different windows, often because they calculate for a different city. If your family follows a specific local panchang or your priest has given you a time, use that.
Lakshmi Puja Muhurat 2026 by City
Muhurat depends on local sunset, so it shifts across India. Here are the Drik Panchang times for 8 November 2026 in 12 cities.
| City | Lakshmi Puja muhurat | Pradosh Kaal |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM | 5:31 PM to 8:09 PM |
| Gurugram | 5:55 PM to 7:51 PM | 5:32 PM to 8:10 PM |
| Jaipur | 6:03 PM to 7:59 PM | 5:40 PM to 8:16 PM |
| Lucknow | 5:42 PM to 7:39 PM | 5:19 PM to 7:56 PM |
| Patna | 5:28 PM to 7:25 PM | 5:04 PM to 7:40 PM |
| Kolkata | 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM | 4:56 PM to 7:29 PM |
| Ahmedabad | 6:22 PM to 8:20 PM | 5:58 PM to 8:32 PM |
| Mumbai | 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM | 6:02 PM to 8:34 PM |
| Pune | 6:24 PM to 8:24 PM | 5:59 PM to 8:31 PM |
| Hyderabad | 6:07 PM to 8:08 PM | 5:42 PM to 8:13 PM |
| Bengaluru | 6:17 PM to 8:20 PM | 5:51 PM to 8:20 PM |
| Chennai | 6:06 PM to 8:09 PM | 5:40 PM to 8:09 PM |
Not in the list? Open the Drik Panchang page and change the location to your town. The difference between, say, Kolkata and Mumbai is more than an hour, so do not borrow another city’s time.
In Gujarat, many trading families perform Chopda Pujan (worship of account books) on the same day and often use Choghadiya windows that start earlier. Drik Panchang’s Chopda Puja page lists those windows by city.
Lakshmi Puja Samagri List
Shop for these two or three days before Diwali, when markets are less crowded. Tick items off as you go.
For the puja setup
- A wooden chowki (low stool) or clean platform
- A red or yellow cloth to cover the chowki
- Idol or framed picture of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha (many families also keep Saraswati and Kuber)
- A copper, brass or steel kalash, filled with water
- Five mango leaves and a coconut with its husk for the kalash
- A puja thali, small bowls and a spoon
- A small heap of rice or wheat to place the kalash on
For worship and offerings
- Roli or kumkum, haldi, chandan (sandalwood paste) and akshat (unbroken rice)
- Fresh flowers, especially lotus if you can find it, plus marigold garlands
- Durva grass for Ganesha
- Paan leaves, supari, cloves and cardamom
- Panchamrit ingredients: milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar
- Coins (silver or regular), and a few currency notes if that is your family custom
- Kheel-batashe (puffed rice and sugar drops), seasonal fruit and mithai
- A sacred thread (mauli or kalava)
For light and aarti
- One large ghee diya to burn through the night (akhand diya), if your family follows this
- Clay diyas with mustard oil or ghee for the house, doorstep and windows
- Cotton wicks, a matchbox, incense sticks and camphor
- A bell and an aarti plate
If you are also making sweets at home, our 15 easy Diwali mithai recipes include several that are traditional for Lakshmi bhog.
Before the Puja: Preparing Your Home
Lakshmi is welcomed into a clean, bright home. Families usually finish deep cleaning days earlier, so on the day itself the work is lighter. Our Diwali cleaning checklist covers the room-by-room plan.
- Clean the puja area in the afternoon and sprinkle a little Gangajal if you have it.
- Make a rangoli at the entrance and draw small footprints pointing inwards to welcome Lakshmi. For ideas, see our rangoli designs for Diwali 2026.
- Hang a toran of mango leaves or marigold at the main door.
- Bathe and wear clean clothes, ideally new or freshly washed, before the muhurat.
- Arrange everything on the thali 20 minutes before the muhurat so you are not hunting for camphor at the last minute.
Lakshmi Puja Vidhi at Home, Step by Step
This is a simplified sequence based on the common North and West Indian household practice. It takes about 45 minutes at a calm pace. Recite mantras if you know them; if not, a sincere prayer in your own words is fine.
Step 1: Set up the chowki
Face east or north if possible. Spread the red cloth on the chowki. Place a small heap of rice in the centre. Place the Lakshmi and Ganesha idols or picture side by side on it, in the arrangement your family has always used. Keep the kalash on a small heap of grain to the right side.
Step 2: Prepare the kalash
Fill the kalash with water and add a coin, a supari, a little rice and a flower. Arrange five mango leaves around the mouth and place the coconut on top, wrapped in red cloth and tied with mauli. Draw a swastika on the kalash with roli.
Step 3: Purify and take sankalp
Sprinkle water on yourself, the family and the puja items. Light the main diya and incense. Then take sankalp: hold a little water, rice and a flower in your right hand, state your name, gotra if you know it, the date and your intention (for example, the well-being and prosperity of the family), and release them in front of the deities.
Step 4: Ganesh puja
Every puja begins with Ganesha. Offer water, tilak, akshat, durva, a flower and a modak or laddoo. Chant “Om Gan Ganapataye Namah” a few times.
Step 5: Invite Goddess Lakshmi (avahan)
Fold your hands, close your eyes and invite Lakshmi into your home and your puja. Many families chant “Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah” here. Offer a flower at her feet.
Step 6: Offerings (upachar)
Offer, one by one:
- Water to wash her feet and hands (symbolically, with a flower)
- Panchamrit, followed by clean water
- Roli, haldi, chandan and akshat
- Flowers and a garland
- Mauli as vastra (cloth)
- Incense and a diya
- Naivedya: kheel-batashe, mithai and fruit
- Paan, supari, clove and cardamom
- Coins or the family’s silver coin, along with any new account books or the cash box if that is your custom
Step 7: Aarti
Light camphor and the aarti diya. Sing “Om Jai Lakshmi Mata” (and “Jai Ganesh Deva” first, if your family does both). Ring the bell, move the plate clockwise, then offer the aarti flame to everyone present.
Step 8: Light the house
Light diyas from the main lamp and place them across the house: the doorstep, windows, kitchen, the tulsi plant and the water tank or tap area. Some families keep one diya burning near the entrance all night.
If you are short on time
Working families sometimes have only 20 minutes inside the muhurat. In that case, keep the essentials: light the diya, do a short Ganesh prayer, invite Lakshmi, offer flowers, sweets and a coin, and perform the aarti together. The rest of the offerings can be made calmly after the muhurat. What matters is that the family is together and the intention is clear.
After the puja
Distribute prasad. Many families avoid sweeping the house on Lakshmi Puja night and leave the main door slightly open for a while as a sign of welcome. Keep the kalash in place until the next day, then pour the water into a plant.
Lakshmi Puja for Shops and Offices
Many shopkeepers and small business owners perform Lakshmi Puja at the shop or office before the home puja, especially when the evening muhurat clashes with closing time. A short version works well:
- Clean the counter, cash box and entrance in the morning.
- Place a small Lakshmi-Ganesh picture near the cash counter or account books.
- Write “Shubh Labh” and a swastika on the new ledger or the first page of the diary, if that is your practice.
- Do the Ganesh puja, Lakshmi avahan, offerings and aarti in 15 to 20 minutes.
- Distribute sweets to staff, and thank them for the year.
If you run a business, the evening of 8 November 2026 is also when the stock exchanges hold their special Muhurat Trading session; NSE will announce the time separately.
Dos and Don’ts on Lakshmi Puja
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Finish cleaning before the day | Leaving the puja room cluttered |
| Start within your city’s muhurat | Rushing through the steps to meet a guest schedule |
| Use clay diyas and keep water nearby | Leaving lamps near curtains or within reach of pets and small children |
| Offer simple, home-made bhog if you can | Overspending on items you will not use again |
| Follow your elders’ tradition where it differs | Arguing over the “correct” sequence on the day |
A safety note: Diwali sees many burn injuries. Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby when lighting diyas and fireworks, and supervise children. Anyone with asthma or breathing trouble should keep windows closed during peak firecracker hours and consult a doctor if symptoms flare.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lakshmi Puja muhurat on Diwali 2026?
For New Delhi, Drik Panchang lists 5:54 PM to 7:50 PM on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Mumbai’s window is 6:27 PM to 8:27 PM, Kolkata’s 5:20 PM to 7:18 PM and Bengaluru’s 6:17 PM to 8:20 PM. Check your own city, because times vary.
Can I do Lakshmi Puja at home without a pandit?
Yes. Most families perform it themselves. Follow a simple sequence of sankalp, Ganesh puja, Lakshmi avahan, offerings and aarti. Sincerity matters more than perfect Sanskrit.
What if I miss the Pradosh Kaal muhurat?
Amavasya tithi continues until 12:31 PM on 9 November 2026, so the puja can still be done later that night. Many people consider the Pradosh window best, but a puja done with devotion at another time is still meaningful. Ask your family priest if you want a specific alternative.
Which direction should the Lakshmi idol face?
Common practice is to sit facing east or north while doing the puja. Space in Indian flats is limited, so choose the cleanest, calmest spot available.
What bhog is offered to Goddess Lakshmi?
Kheel-batashe, kheer, laddoos, seasonal fruits and home-made sweets are common. Many families also offer sugarcane, singhara (water chestnut) and paan.
Is Lakshmi Puja the same as Chopda Pujan?
Chopda Pujan is the Gujarati business tradition of worshipping new account books during Diwali. It is done alongside or as part of Lakshmi Puja, often within Choghadiya windows on the same day.
A Calm Evening Is the Real Muhurat
Prepare the samagri a day early, note your city’s time, and keep the evening unhurried. When the diyas are lit, the house is clean and the family sits together for aarti, the puja has done its job. For the rest of the festival week, our Diwali 2026 calendar lists every date from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj. Shubh Deepavali.
