Lakshmi Pooja on Diwali day

Today's Post is about the lakshmi pooja to be performed on diwali day.The first and the foremost thing in Diwali Lakshmi puja procedure is the neatness. Puranas stated that Lakshmi resides there where neatness and cleanness exist. So, first of everything, make your home or the puja place neat. Draw some rangoli designs or the patterns to welcome Goddess Maha Lakshmi.

Diwali Laxmi Puja has a very simple procedure and the material required for pooja is also very easy to get for people of any economic status. Here is the list of material or accessories needed for Lakshmi Puja.
Silver coins or Gold coins or rupee coins
Suparis – 10 (betel nuts)
Akshata (consecrated rice)
Betel leaves (paan leaves) – 10
Coconut – 1 or more
A bronze pot with water (Fill the pot with holy water if possible)
Kumkum to shower on Goddess Lakshmi and to apply Tilak
Turmeric powder
Sweets

agarbattis (incense sticks) (Dhoop sticks)
Diya
Camphor

Procedures to perform Lakshmi Puja

Take a piece of cloth (red or yellow or green in colour) and spread it at the sanctified puja place. On the cloth, spread 9 mounds of rice and keep betel leaves with suparis on the top of the rice mounds. The nine betel leaves with suparis indicate the nine planets (Navagraha devatas).
You can keep a betel leaf and supari in the place of Ganesh or can place a Ganesh idol.
A pot has to be filled with water and adorned with betel leaves. Keep a coconut on the top of the water filled pot.
Now dress the pot with red cloth and tie a red thread around the pot. On the pot, draw four lines with kumkum. The four lines indicate the Chatur Vedas. Place kumkum for the pot.Now, the pot with all these decorations is referred as Kalash or Purna Kumbh which represents the Universal power (Supreme deity).
In Diwali Puja thali place some silver or golden or simply rupee coins. The coin is a direct form of wealth that is Goddess Lakshmi.
Now the actual puja begins. Take some water on your left hand and sprinkle on to yourself after purifying your hands.
Place a flower on your palm and take some akshata (consecrated rice) into your hand.
Chant the Gayatri Mantra for 3 times. You can skip this step as it is an optional one.
Now start Ganesh Puja. If you don’t know Ganesh puja procedure then simply install or visualize Ganesha in your heart, chant a sloka of Ganesh and offer some flowers and akshata to Ganesh idol or thebetel leaf with Supari representing Lord Ganesh.
In the same way pray to Lord Shiva. If you don’t know the simple Shiva puja procedure then you can chant a sloka of Lord Shiva.
Sprinkle some pure water on Kalash or Purna Kumbha. Apply some kumkum and shower akshata.
Offer a sweet and fruit to the Kalash. Treat the Kalash or Purna Kumbha as a guest and worship the sacred pot with utmost devotion. Kalash is considered as powerful as the Goddess. Follow the same puja procedure with the Navagrahas or the 9 planets or the 9 supari placed at the nine locations on the puja cloth. The same puja procedure is followed with the 4 directions. Sprinkle water towards 4 directions – North, South, East and West. This puja procedure of 4 directions represent 4 dishas of the Universe.
Perform the bath to silver and gold coins with milk (ksheerabhishekam), with water (Jalabhishekam), with gulal and with flowers (Pushpabhishekam). Then offer sweet recipe to the coins. It is believed that jingling coins would let Goddess Laxmi Devi to install in your pooja place.
Install or keep Goddess Lakshmi Maa in your heart and chant a mantra or sloka or stotra of Goddess Mahalakshmi and pray to her heartfully. If you know the stotras of Lakshmi Ashtottaram or Laxmi Shatanamavali, recite the stotras.
Now it’s the time to perform Aarti to Goddess Mahalaxmi. Light the Diya or camphor for Aarti. Ring the bell while singing Lakshmi Aarti.
After performing Aarti to Lakshmi Mata, keep Lakshmi Puja Thali at a safe place. Complete the whole puja to Lakshmi with devotion and dedication.
Keep your worries aside about any mistake you did unknowingly during the pooja procedure. Mantras to be recited:

"Om Sri Maha Lakshmyai Namah"

This simple mantra is often chanted by people in their day to day course of work. The chant simply means salutations to O great goddess Maha Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and wealth. "Sarvagyay Sarvavarday Sarvadushtbhaydkree Sarvadukhaharay Devi Mahalakshmi Namostutay"

O divine Goddess Ma Lakshmi, nothing is hidden from you. You grant all favors to your children removing all miseries from their lives and on the other hand are fearsome for the evil. Accept my salutations O auspicious goddess.

"Padnaasanstithay Devi Parbrahmaswaroopeene Parmashree Jaganmatra Mahalakshmi Namostutay"

O mother Lakshmi you are like supreme Brahman and reside in the hearts of all your devotees. O Devi you are the mother of the entire Universe and to you I offer all my respects and salutations.

"Sthulsukshmay Maharodray Mahashakti MahodrayMahapapharay Devi Mahalakshmi Namostutay"

You know it all O mother goddess, nothing is hidden from you. O mother you are the one who removes all the sins and grant boons. O propitious goddess I bow to you, accept my salutations.