Lakshmi Puja is one of the most revered Hindu festivals dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the avatar of wealth, prosperity, auspiciousness and abundance. Sharad Purnima, October 25, 2026: Sharad Purnima is observed as Kojagari Lakshmi Puja and is celebrated by many households in Bengal and eastern India. Diwali Lakshmi Puja is observed on Kartik Amavasya. In 2026, it falls on Sunday, November 8.
Auspicious Timing 2026:
The most auspicious time is Pradosh Kaal, the twilight hour after sunset when Amavasya Tithi is prevailing. This year, Amavasya will begin around 11.30 AM on November 8 and will end around 12.30 PM on November 9. The best time to worship is the evening of November 8.
As per the astrological calendar, the puja time has been fixed between 5:54 PM and 7:50 PM on Sunday, November 8, during Vrishabha Lagna, Pradosh Kaal. Vrishabha is Sthir, or fixed Lagna, and is considered auspicious for invoking Lakshmi traditionally, as a stable moment, which means long-lasting prosperity. The Pradosh Kaal for the day will be around 5.30 PM to 7.54 PM.
Timings may vary slightly from city to city and also from the panchang tradition followed by a family. Devotees, especially those who are outside India, can check the local muhurat before performing the rituals.
Meaning Of Spiritual:
Goddess Lakshmi is not only about money but also about total prosperity: harmony at home, good health, ethical livelihood, wisdom, fertility of effort and generosity of heart. She is worshipped as the consort of Lord Vishnu and as the divine force who maintains order, beauty and abundance in the universe.
Lakshmi Puja's deeper meaning is that wealth resides where there is cleanliness, discipline, gratitude and righteous conduct. Lighting lamps on the darkest night of the lunar month is a symbol of the triumph of knowledge over ignorance, of hope over despair.
Puja Vidhi and Preparation:
Start the day early and prepare. Clean the whole home, especially the puja room, entrance and places where the offerings will be placed. Draw or place a small rangoli near the doorway, often with lotus motifs, footprints of Lakshmi or symbols of prosperity. A clean, well-lit home is the first invitation to the Goddess, traditionally.
Set up the altar with an idol or picture of Goddess Lakshmi, seated on a lotus, if possible. It should have images or murtis of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, and Lord Kubera, the guardian of wealth. If it’s a part of your family tradition, place a kalash filled with water with mango leaves and a coconut on top. Prepare flowers, especially lotus or marigold, incense, camphor, bell, rice, turmeric, kumkum, betel leaves, sweets, fruits and coins.
A simple traditional sequence could be:
Take a bath and dress in clean or festive clothes, and sit facing east or north.
Light up a lamp of oil or ghee and worship Lord Ganesha first.
Install the Lakshmi idol or image and offer water for achamana and apply roli, kumkum and sandalwood paste.
Offer flowers, akshat, or unbroken rice, incense, lamp, naivedya, fruits, sweets and coins.
Recite Lakshmi prayers such as the Sri Suktam, Lakshmi Ashtottara Shatanamavali or basic devotional mantras like “Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namah.”
Conduct Aarti with camphor or a lamp, ringing a bell, and singing Lakshmi Aarti.
Complete with pranam, apologise for mistakes made during the ritual, and share prasad with your family.
Many business owners also perform Chopda Pujan, worshipping account books, ledgers and financial records before starting the new accounting year. This practice is a symbol of a clean financial slate, with gratitude for money earned and a commitment to just business in the days ahead.
Key Rituals of the Evening:
After puja, light diyas all over the home – near the entrance, windows, courtyard, kitchen and puja area. Rows of lamps are thought to guide Goddess Lakshmi to the home and ward off negativity. Families usually keep the main puja lamp burning all night.
Devotees may fast or eat only sattvic food until after the puja is over. It is also an important part of the observance of charity to give food, clothes, money or essentials to those in need and reflects the true spirit of Lakshmi worship, which links prosperity with compassion.
Some families keep awake the whole night, singing bhajans, reading scriptures or meditating.
Astrological Significance:
In Vedic astrology, Lakshmi Puja during Diwali is powerful because it combines three elements: Amavasya Tithi, Pradosh Kaal, and a stable ascendant. Amavasya marks the end of a cycle and the beginning of another; Pradosh is a sacred period between day and night, and stable Lagnas such as Vrishabha are auspicious for attracting enduring good fortune.
Goddess Lakshmi is linked to the nurturing abundance of the Moon and the association of Venus with comfort, beauty, relationships and material well-being. It is believed that worship on a favourable muhurat strengthens one’s intention toward prosperity, although tradition also stresses that divine grace complements, but does not substitute for, honest work, planning and sensible financial habits.
The evening muhurat is considered very good for household worship. However, some traditions also talk of an afternoon Kumbha Lagna period for business-related rituals in 2026, astrologers say. The emphasis, no matter the exact window, is on sincerity, cleanliness and ethical intention.
Lakshmi Puja 2026 is a time for families to pause, purify their home and mind, give thanks and recommit to responsible prosperity. Celebrated on November 8 as Diwali or October 25 as Kojagari Lakshmi Puja, the essence is the same: invite light, practise generosity, and acknowledge that true wealth includes peace, devotion and the wellbeing of others.
