Diwali 2026 Lakshmi Puja: The Puja in Order and What to Recite

Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026 (date and tithi timings). The main worship of the evening is the Lakshmi puja, done together with Ganesh, on Kartik Amavasya.

When to do the puja

The puja is done in the evening after sunset, in pradosh kaal. Many families choose the part of that window in which a fixed (sthir) lagna is rising. Both depend on your city's sunset, so check the time for your city before you sit down.

The puja in order

• Clean the house and the place of worship, bathe, and gather the samagri first (full samagri list and steps).
• Set up a chowki covered with a red cloth, with the kalash and the murtis or pictures of Lakshmi and Ganesh.
• Worship Ganesh first, as before every puja.
• Invite and worship Lakshmi: bathe the murti with panchamrit, apply tilak, and offer flowers (a lotus if you can), khil-batashe, sweets, fruits and coins.
• Many families also worship Kubera, and business families worship their account books (bahi-khata).
• Close with the aarti of Lakshmi and Ganesh with the whole family, share the prasad, and light diyas at every door.

What to recite

• During the worship: Lakshmi mantras
• Aarti: Om Jai Lakshmi Mata and Jai Ganesh Deva
• If you also worship Kubera: Kuber Aarti

More Lakshmi texts on Sanatanshala

If you would like to recite more, these texts in praise of Lakshmi are on our site, each with its meaning:

• Shri Suktam
• Kanakadhara Stotram
• Mahalakshmi Ashtakam
• Lakshmi Chalisa