Diwali Puja 2020: Everything You Need To Know About Timings, Muhurat

Diwali is around the corner and everyone is busy with the preparations. On the eve of Diwali, the most important ritual is to perform Ganesh-Lakshmi Puja during the right muhurta (time) and with the right rituals(vidhi).

Here are some of the things you must take care of:

Ganesh-Lakshmi Puja Rituals. It is important that on the day of Diwali, you wake up early in the morning and pay homage to your ancestors and worship the gods of your family. It is advised to observe a day-long-fast until the Ganesh-Lakshmi puja is performed in the evening.

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Preparations For Ganesh-Lakshmi Puja:

Families can embellish their home and office with Asoka and Marigold flowers, banana, and mango leaves on the day of the puja. Mangal Kalash covered with unpeeled coconut should be placed at both sides of the main entrance of your house.

For puja preparation, place at the right-hand side a red cloth on a hoisted platform and put in idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh on it after gracing them with jewelry and clothes. Once this is done, Navgraha gods must be placed on the left-hand side on a hoisted platform under the white cloth. Prepare carefully nine slots of Akshata (unbroken rice) for placing Navgraha on a white cloth and sixteen slots of wheat must be prepared for the red cloth. You should perform puja with all the important rituals.

Timings (Muhurat) for Lakshmi Puja:

Pradosh Kaal muhurat is the time during which puja needs to be performed. It starts after sunset and lasts for about 2 hours and 24 minutes. Goddess Lakshmi will stay in your home if you perform Lakshmi puja in the Pradosh Kaal when it is Sthir Lagna time. Sthir refers to 'immovable.' Before you do the puja, make sure you find out Pradosh Kaal (time) for your city or area. It is important that you know the right time to perform the puja.

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Here is the list of timings to perform the puja according to different cities:

Lucknow – 5 o'clock in the evening from 18 to 7 o'clock in the evening.
Noida – 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Meerut – 5 pm to 21 min from 7 pm to 23 min.
Kanpur – 5 pm 21 minutes to 7 pm 18 minutes.
Banaras – 5 pm to 12 min 7 pm to 12 min.
Prayagraj – 5 to 17 minutes from 7 to 17 minutes in the evening.

Mumbai – 03:00 to 06:00.
Pune – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Ahmedabad – 5 pm 58 minutes from 7 pm 56 minutes.
Shimla – 5 pm 25 minutes to 7 pm 20 minutes.
Kasauli – Evening 5 to 26 minutes – 7 to 21 minutes.

(The article was originally written in October 2017, and is re-edited on 13 November)