Diwali Pooja Items List: Everything You Need for Lakshmi Puja
The complete Diwali pooja samagri list for Lakshmi Ganesh puja at home: idols, kalash, diyas, thali and what goes in it, with the brass items that come out every year.
Checklist · 0/24
Diwali puja at home is the Lakshmi Ganesh puja on the evening of Amavasya, this year on Sunday 8 November 2026. The list below is what a typical North Indian household lays out for it. Most of it you already own. The rest is sold at any puja shop in the week before, except the brass, which is worth buying early so it arrives in time.
The idols
- Lakshmi and Ganesh idols. New clay idols are bought each year in many homes and immersed afterwards. A brass pair is permanent: it is washed, dressed and used every Diwali, and sits in the mandir the rest of the year. Ganesh is placed to the left of Lakshmi as you face them.
- Kuber (optional), placed to the right of Lakshmi, or a Kuber deepak in his place.
- A chowki or bajot covered with a red or yellow cloth to seat the idols.
Height rule of thumb: 3 to 5 inch idols for a shelf mandir, 6 to 10 inch for a pooja room. Buy the idol you can wash easily; Diwali idols are bathed with panchamrit and water before the puja.
The kalash
- A kalash (brass or copper) filled with water, with a few grains of rice, a coin, a supari and a flower inside.
- Five mango leaves around the mouth and a coconut wrapped in red cloth on top.
- Rice to make the small mound the kalash stands on, and a swastik drawn on it with roli.
The diyas
- One akhand diya in brass with a deep cup, lit before the puja and kept burning through the night. Ghee is traditional.
- A Kuber deepak or a four-wick diya in front of the idols.
- Clay or brass diyas for the house, an odd number: 13 is the common count, 21 or 51 for larger homes. One at the main door, one each in the kitchen, the water store, the balcony, the tulsi, and the rest along sills and rails.
- Cotton wicks (batti), mustard oil for the outdoor diyas, ghee or sunflower oil for the mandir.
The pooja thali
A brass thali of 8 to 12 inches with these on it, in small katoris where needed:
- Roli (kumkum) and chawal (akshat) for the tilak
- Haldi, chandan paste, and a few whole turmeric roots
- Flowers: marigold garlands, lotus if you can get it, rose petals
- Mithai and dry fruit for bhog, kheel and batashe for Lakshmi
- Paan leaves, supari, cloves and cardamom
- Dhoop, agarbatti and a camphor (kapoor) tablet for aarti
- A small bell (ghanti) and a shankh if the family uses one
- Panchamrit for bathing the idols: milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar
- A new cloth or mauli (red thread) and a few coins and notes to place before Lakshmi
- Gangajal in a small lota, with an achmani spoon
Things people forget
- A second lota for the water used in the puja, so the kalash is not disturbed.
- A plate for the aarti diya so wax and oil do not fall on the thali cloth.
- Matchbox and a long lighter for the outdoor diyas.
- A cloth to cover the idols overnight after the puja if there is an open window.
- For a shop or office: the account books (bahi khata) and a pen, for the Chopda puja.
The brass you buy once
Four items come out every single Diwali and are worth buying in solid brass: the Lakshmi Ganesh pair, the kalash, the akhand diya and the thali. Choose by weight, not by shine. Thin stamped sheet looks the same in a photograph as a cast piece, but it dents, wobbles and sounds dull when tapped. Every piece on Vedikcraft lists its weight in grams for this reason.
Printable checklist
| Group | Items |
|---|---|
| Idols | Lakshmi, Ganesh, Kuber (optional), chowki, red cloth |
| Kalash | Kalash, mango leaves, coconut, rice, coin, supari |
| Light | Akhand diya, Kuber deepak, 13 to 51 diyas, wicks, oil, ghee, kapoor |
| Thali | Roli, chawal, haldi, chandan, flowers, mithai, kheel batashe, paan supari, dhoop agarbatti, bell, panchamrit, mauli, coins |
| Water | Gangajal, lota, achmani, second lota |
What time is Lakshmi puja on Diwali 2026?
The Pradosh Kaal muhurat on 8 November 2026 falls in the early evening, roughly between 5:30 and 7:30 pm in most of North India. Check your city’s panchang for the exact window; the sthir lagna (Vrishabha) is the preferred slot for business households.
Can I use the same brass idols every year?
Yes. Brass idols are permanent and are not immersed. Bathe them with panchamrit and water before the puja, dry them, and dress them fresh.
Brass or copper kalash?
Both are used. Copper is traditional for water offerings; brass is heavier, holds its shape and polishes to a brighter finish. Most households own a brass kalash and a copper lota.
How many diyas on the first day versus Diwali night?
Dhanteras evening has one Yama deepam facing south outside the door. Choti Diwali adds a few more. The full count, 13 or more, is lit on Diwali night after the Lakshmi puja.
Do I need a new thali every year?
No. A brass thali lasts for decades. Clean it with lemon and salt a day or two before Diwali and it is ready.
