Create a Dhan Lakshmi Potli for Diwali 2024: Full list of auspicious items

Mumbai: Lakshmi Pujan on Diwali on October 31 (or November 1) is a deeply revered Hindu ritual celebrating Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, prosperity, and abundance.

Diwali, known as the ‘Festival of Lights,’ symbolises the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. On this auspicious evening, families prepare for Lakshmi Puja by cleaning their homes thoroughly, adorning entrances with rangolis, and illuminating every corner with diyas and lights to invite Maa Lakshmi’s blessings.

The puja itself usually includes a ritualistic arrangement of idols or pictures of Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Offerings like flowers, fruits, sweets, and incense are placed before the deities. A Kalash filled with water is set up, and a diya is lit beside it as a symbol of divine presence.

Devotees recite specific prayers and mantras to honour Lakshmi, asking for financial stability and well-being. The ritual culminates with an aarti, after which prasad (blessed food) is distributed among family members. By performing Lakshmi Pujan with devotion, it is believed that Goddess Lakshmi will bless the home with peace, wealth, and a harmonious atmosphere for the year ahead.

Lakshmi Potli

The Dhan Lakshmi Potli, a sacred bundle believed to attract prosperity, is traditionally made using a red or yellow cloth bag. This bundle often includes a coin inscribed with the symbols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi to honour divine blessings.

Alongside the coin, lotus seeds, whole coriander seeds, and whole rice grains are placed inside, believed to amplify positive energy. Adding yellow cowrie shells is also regarded as highly auspicious, symbolising abundance and fortune.

To prepare the potli, place ingredients like whole moong dal, barley seeds, dry black pepper, and dry turmeric in the bag, each representing prosperity and protection. Adding a Gomti Chakra and a small idol or symbol of Goddess Lakshmi’s footprints is customary, enhancing the potli’s significance and potency. Before closing, include nag kesar (spikenard) and a betel nut as final touches, sealing the bundle with the intent of inviting prosperity.

This potli is ideally kept in the prayer room or a secure place, where it should be honoured with regular worship. Consistent puja is believed to invite the lasting presence of Goddess Lakshmi into the home, blessing it with wealth and abundance, especially when created on Diwali, a day devoted to invoking her grace. However, Friday, another auspicious day linked to Maa Lakshmi, is also an ideal day to prepare this potli if Diwali is not feasible.

Over time, as the potli is refreshed monthly, the previous contents should not be discarded but rather placed in a potted plant pot or dug inside the Earth, allowing its blessings to return to nature. This practice ensures that the abundance summoned by the Dhan Lakshmi Potli is continuously rejuvenated, helping maintain a prosperous atmosphere within the home.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on religious beliefs and customs.)