Seasonal
Lakshmi Puja Preparation Checklist for Diwali, Including From Abroad
The coordination is the hard part. The checklist makes it smaller.
The Lakshmi Puja on Diwali evening is, for many families, the centre of the festival — and the preparation lands in the busiest week of the year. What goes into the puja itself depends on your family's tradition and your pandit's guidance; this checklist is about the logistics around it, so that on the evening itself the only thing left to do is the puja.
Two to three weeks before
The first bookings are the ones with the least availability on the day itself.
- Decide whether you will have a pandit, and book early if so — the Diwali evening is one of the most requested slots of the year
- Ask the pandit, or the elder in the family who leads the puja, for the list of samagri they expect
- Plan the decoration: flowers, rangoli, diyas and lights, and who will set them up
- If family is travelling in, confirm who will be at home and when
The samagri list, by category
Every family's list differs, and your pandit's list is the one to follow. It usually falls into a few groups, and sorting it this way makes it easier to see what can be bought early and what has to be fresh.
- Durable items, buy early: idols or images, the puja thali, diyas, the kalash, cloth
- Consumables, buy the week before: incense, camphor, cotton wicks, ghee or oil, kumkum and haldi, rice
- Fresh items, buy the day before or on the day: flowers and garlands, fruits, betel leaves, sweets for the offering
- Coins, new account books or other items your family traditionally includes
The week of Diwali
- Confirm the pandit's arrival time in writing, not just verbally
- Collect the fresh items as late as possible so they are fresh on the evening
- Set up the puja area the day before, after the house cleaning is finished
- Test the lights and keep spare diyas, wicks and matchboxes together in one place
Arranging the puja for parents in India from abroad
For families living abroad, the puja is often the part of Diwali they most want to get right and can least control. The practical gaps are predictable: someone has to book the pandit, buy the samagri, set up the space, and be present when the pandit arrives — and elderly parents should not be the ones running between shops in the final week.
The simplest structure is one local person who owns the whole list: booking, buying, setting up and being there on the evening, with photos or a video call so the family abroad can join. Many families now also join the puja live over video from wherever they are.
On the evening
Have one person responsible for timing — the pandit's arrival, the lamps being lit, and guests — so the family can be present for the puja instead of managing it.
Questions
What items are needed for Lakshmi Puja?
It varies by family and region, so the list from your pandit or the family elder who leads the puja is the one to follow. Most lists include durable items like idols, a thali, diyas and a kalash; consumables such as incense, camphor, wicks, ghee and kumkum; and fresh flowers, fruits and sweets bought close to the day.
How early should I book a pandit for Diwali?
Two to three weeks ahead if you can. The Diwali evening is one of the busiest slots of the year for pandits, and last-minute availability is unreliable.
Can I arrange a Lakshmi Puja at my parents' home while I'm abroad?
Yes. A local coordinator can book the pandit, source the samagri, set up the puja space and be present on the evening, and you can join over video. The ritual itself stays with your pandit and your family's tradition.
PadosiPro coordinates pandit booking, samagri sourcing and puja setup as one request, for your home or your parents'.