Lakshmi puja is the puja of Goddess Lakshmi performed during Diwali. Diwali is a festival of lights and fireworks. It comes after Durga Puja as the winter sets in India.
Diwali or Deepawali which means rows of lighted lamps is one of the most important festivals of India.
There are different stories behind its celebration. The most popular is that, Ram returned to Ayodhya on this day gaining victory over Ravana. To welcome him in Ayodhya, the people lighted rows of earthen lamps. Others believe that on this night Goddess Lakshmi of wealth and prosperity visits every house. To welcome her home, they show dazzling light throughout the night. Jains say that in the early morning of this day Lord Mahavira attained ‘Moksha’ or ‘salvation’. They show lights in jubilation of this attainment.
Goddess Lakshmi
Image Source: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Ravi_Varma-Lakshmi.jpg
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To celebrate this festival, great preparations are made. People shop new clothes, jewellery, and many household items. People get their houses and shops white-washed or painted. Every nook and corner of the house is cleaned and washed. They also decorate the house and the shops with furniture, pictures, new cushions and covers, lights and flowers. Special dishes, sweets and snacks are prepared on this day.
On the Deepawali day, people decorate their houses, with flowers, pictures, lights and various other decorative items, at night they illuminate their houses with earthen lamps also known as ‘chirag’, candles and colorful electronic lights. Earthen lamps are placed on the top of the houses in rows. They showcase a beautiful sight from a distance. At night Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, is worshipped in every house and shop. After worshipping they distribute sweets and khil-batashas among all who attend the ceremony. Alms are also distributed among the poor by many families as a tradition.
Merchants, businessmen and traders change their old account books to new on this day. Hindus keep awake at night as they believe that Lakshmi visits their houses at night. So to pass the wakeful night, they play various card games and gamble. Perhaps they believe that whoever wins that night is favored by the Goddess.
Young boys and girls and all the children lit off fireworks and explode crackers. Ladies and gents put on the best of their dresses prepared for the occasion.
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This festival had many advantages. It helps in cleaning the entire house. After the cleaning of the house, everyone beautifully decorates their home. The entire home shines like a new home. The polluted atmosphere gets purified. Thus, it provides protection from diseases. The poisonous and harmful creature that might creep into the house because of rain is also removed from the house. The decorated form of the houses and shops make everyone feel delighted. This festival provides a earning to the laborers of the community.
But the festival has also some disadvantages. Gambling makes people bankrupt. Their lives become miserable. Exploding of crackers often injures children. The money on fireworks is wasted lavishly.
However, the festival has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is a festival of wealth, prosperity and happiness.