Diwali Rituals: Diya Lighting and Lakshmi Puja Ceremonies

BY NICOLE LAU

The rituals of Diwali are not mere customs but sacred technologies designed to invoke divine blessings, purify space and consciousness, and align us with the energies of prosperity and light. The two central practices - diya lighting and Lakshmi puja - work together to transform homes into temples and celebrants into conduits for divine grace.

The Sacred Diya: More Than a Lamp

The diya (oil lamp) is the heart of Diwali. These small clay lamps filled with oil or ghee and lit with cotton wicks are profound spiritual tools.

Symbolism: The diya represents the individual soul (Atman), the oil represents our karmic tendencies, the wick represents the ego, and the flame represents consciousness or divine presence. When the ego (wick) is consumed by the fire of awareness, it produces light.

Materials: Traditional diyas are made of clay, connecting to the earth element. The oil is typically mustard oil, sesame oil, or ghee (clarified butter). Cotton wicks are handmade or purchased.

Diya Lighting Ritual: Step-by-Step

Preparation: Clean your diyas thoroughly. Fill each diya about three-quarters full with oil or ghee. Insert cotton wicks, allowing them to absorb the oil for a few minutes.

Placement: Place diyas at your home entrance (to welcome Lakshmi), in all four directions (to honor the cardinal points), at your puja altar, in every room of your home, and along pathways and windowsills.

The Lighting Ceremony: Begin at sunset on Diwali night. Light the first diya at your altar or puja space. Offer a brief prayer: 'Om, I light this lamp to dispel darkness and invite divine light.' Light subsequent diyas from this first flame, spreading light throughout your home. As you light each diya, hold the intention of illuminating consciousness and inviting blessings.

Maintaining the Flames: Keep diyas burning throughout the evening. Refill oil as needed. Never blow out a diya - use a snuffer or let it burn out naturally.

Lakshmi Puja: The Complete Ceremony

Lakshmi Puja is the central ritual of Diwali, performed on the main Diwali night (the new moon). This elaborate ceremony invokes Goddess Lakshmi's blessings for prosperity, abundance, and spiritual wealth.

Preparation for Lakshmi Puja

Cleaning: Deep clean your entire home in the days before Diwali. Lakshmi is said to visit only clean, well-maintained homes.

Decoration: Create rangoli (decorative patterns) at your entrance using colored powders, rice, or flower petals. Hang mango leaves and marigold garlands. Place diyas throughout your home.

The Puja Space: Set up a clean altar or puja space. Cover it with a red or yellow cloth. Place an image or statue of Goddess Lakshmi at the center.

Essential Puja Items (Puja Samagri)

Gather these items on a puja thali (ceremonial plate): Lakshmi image or statue, diyas and oil, incense sticks (agarbatti), flowers (especially lotus and marigolds), kumkum (red powder), turmeric powder, rice grains, betel leaves and nuts, coconut, fruits and sweets, water in a small vessel, bell, and new coins or currency notes.

The Lakshmi Puja Ceremony: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Purification - Bathe and wear clean, preferably new clothes. Sit facing east or north. Sprinkle water around the puja area for purification. Ring the bell to announce the beginning of the ceremony.

Step 2: Invocation - Light incense and offer it to Lakshmi. Light the main diya. Chant: 'Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namaha' (I bow to the Great Goddess Lakshmi).

Step 3: Offerings - Offer flowers at Lakshmi's feet. Apply kumkum and turmeric to the image. Offer rice grains. Place fruits, sweets, and coconut before the deity. Offer betel leaves and nuts. Place coins or currency as symbols of wealth.

Step 4: Mantras and Prayers - Recite Lakshmi mantras or the Lakshmi Ashtottara (108 names of Lakshmi). A simple mantra: 'Om Shreem Hreem Shreem Kamale Kamalalaye Praseed Praseed, Shreem Hreem Shreem Om Mahalakshmiyei Namaha.'

Step 5: Aarti - Perform aarti by circling a lit diya or camphor flame in front of Lakshmi's image. Sing or play the Lakshmi Aarti. Ring the bell throughout.

Step 6: Prasad Distribution - Offer the blessed food (prasad) to family members. Share the abundance with neighbors and those in need.

The Five-Day Diwali Ritual Cycle

Day 1 - Dhanteras: Purchase gold, silver, or new utensils. Clean and decorate the home. Light the first diyas. Worship Lakshmi and Dhanvantari.

Day 2 - Naraka Chaturdashi: Take an early morning oil bath. Light diyas to celebrate Krishna's victory. Prepare special foods.

Day 3 - Main Diwali: Perform elaborate Lakshmi Puja. Light hundreds of diyas. Exchange gifts. Celebrate with family.

Day 4 - Govardhan Puja: Create Annakut (mountain of food offerings). Worship Krishna. Begin new account books for businesses.

Day 5 - Bhai Dooj: Sisters apply tilak to brothers. Exchange gifts. Celebrate sibling bonds.

Modern Adaptations

For those new to Diwali or living in non-traditional settings: Use LED diyas if fire safety is a concern (though traditional flames are preferred). Simplify the puja to core elements if time is limited. Create a small altar even in limited space. Adapt timings to your schedule while maintaining the spirit of the rituals. Include family members in age-appropriate ways.

The Spiritual Technology of Ritual

These rituals work on multiple levels: Physical - cleaning, decorating, and lighting create a beautiful, uplifting environment. Psychological - the focused attention and devotion calm the mind and open the heart. Energetic - the mantras, offerings, and fire create specific vibrational frequencies. Spiritual - the rituals create a container for divine presence and blessing.

Conclusion: Ritual as Sacred Practice

The rituals of Diwali are not empty gestures but powerful practices that transform both practitioner and environment. When we light diyas with awareness and perform Lakshmi Puja with devotion, we're not just following tradition - we're participating in a sacred technology that has been refined over millennia to invoke blessings, purify consciousness, and align us with divine abundance.

This Diwali, as you light your diyas and perform your puja, remember: you are not just going through motions but engaging in sacred practice. Each flame you light is a prayer, each offering is an act of devotion, each mantra is a vibration that ripples through the cosmos. You are the priest of your own temple, the invoker of your own blessings, the light that dispels your own darkness.