A week before: clean and polish
- Remove old flowers, wicks and clutter from the mandir.
- Dust and clean idols; polish brass; see brass cleaning.
- Wash diyas and glass covers; see diya cleaning.
- Replace the altar cloth and check fairy lights.
Backdrop and flowers
- A red, gold or maroon silk backdrop.
- Marigold and rose strings around the mandir frame.
- Mango-leaf toran at the top.
- Fresh lotus or roses near Goddess Lakshmi on puja day.
- A peacock vase with fresh flowers beside the mandir.
Lakshmi Ganesh setup
- Place the Laxmi Ganesh idol on a chowki with a red cloth.
- Kalash with water, mango leaves and coconut beside the idols.
- A plate of coins, rice and sweets in front.
- See Lakshmi Ganesh placement.
Rangoli and footprints
Make a rangoli at the mandir entrance, and draw small footprints (Lakshmi charan) leading from the main door to the mandir to welcome the Goddess.
The Lakshmi puja thali
- Diya and incense.
- Kumkum, haldi, akshat and sandalwood.
- Flowers (lotus, roses, marigolds).
- Sweets, fruits and dry fruits.
- Coins, kheel-batashe and a small bell.
- A kapoor dani for aarti.
After Diwali
Keep the decoration until Bhai Dooj, then remove flowers before they wilt, clean diyas, wash the cloth and store reusable decor in boxes for next year.
Light it up
- An akhand diya through the Diwali night.
- Diyas on both sides of the chowki.
- Warm fairy lights behind the backdrop.
More in our Diwali diya guide and pooja room decoration ideas.
