WHEN: Karthik (October/ November)

This festival is celebrated on the 14th day of Krishna Paksh in the month of Karthik. During this festival special importance is given to cleanliness and beauty. This is also known as Narak Chaturdasi because the demon Narkasur was slain by Shri Krishna on this day.

HOW:

• The women of the family bathe with uptan (Mix 4 teaspoons of aata (wheat flour), 1-teaspoon of haldi power and 1-teaspoon of oil together to make uptan).
• A chowki is placed in the bathroom.
• Some rice and moong are placed under it on which a deepak is placed and lit.
• After bathing with uptan, the woman applies tikka and sindoor on her forehead and seeks the blessings of her mother-in-law by touching her feet. This tradition is not followed in every house.

Preparation for the puja

• Photos, prints or hand-painted images of Shri Ganeshji & Lakshmiji
• 11 or 21 silver coins on a plate
• 11 or 21 clay deepaks
• One clay chowmukh deepak with four wicks
• One clay dhoop daani – a plate to keep the dhoop dani
• One large thali for keeping the deepaks
• Mustard oil (til oil), cotton wicks, matchbox
• Roli, chawal are kept in two separate places, one for Shri Lakshmi puja and one for applying tikka to yourself and family members
• Dhoop dabba, agarbathi, coal, matchstick
• Flowers
• Chowki, aasan, hand towels, colgate tooth powder and a new brush
• Unboiled milk in a vessel
• New silk cloth to spread on the chowki and the plates containing silver coins
• Five varieties of sweets and savouries laddoo, petha, suhali, bujjiya etc.
• While making the boondi laddoo, please add a few red colour boondis also
• First, chootha is taken out from the food. For pitars – in a metal thali or leaf plate, 2 laddoos, 2 pethas, 2 suhalis and a little bhujia is set aside. The person then does pranam. The choota is then given to the Brahmin
• Five laddoos are set aside on a leaf plate to be used for Shri Lakshmi puja the next day

Food to be made for the festival

• For the family's evening meal, pakki rasoi is made e.g. puri, sabji, sweets. Daal, chawal, khichidi and phulkas are not made.
• Papad can be fried not roasted.
• Preparations to be done before the Puja in the morning
• The women of the house soak 11/21 silver coins in unboiled milk. These are then cleaned by rubbing roli on them and they are rinsed with water.
• On a silver or any small metal plate place these silver coins over a new silk handkerchief. The coins should have the face upwards (note Colgate tooth powder, rubbed over any stains on the coin will help remove them).
• All the 11 or 21 clay deepaks, one clay choumukh deepak and one clay dhoop daani are soaked in water in the morning. After some time they are removed and dried with a cloth.
• In the evening, the chowki is placed against the wall bearing in mind that while performing puja we should face east.
• On the chowki, silk cloth is laid out.
• The photos/prints or hand-painted images of Shri Lakshmi and Shri Ganesh are placed against the wall.
• On a big thali, the choumukh deepak is placed in the centre and the other 21 deepaks are placed around it. Oil and wicks are put in these deepaks. Four wicks are placed in the choumukh deepak.
• The silver coins plate is kept on the chowki.
• The thali with deepaks is also placed on the chowki.

Method of performing the puja

• In the evening, after bathing, wear new clothes, have your dinner and then perform the puja. Some people first perform puja and then have dinner.
• Perform the puja by sprinkling roli and chawal on the photos, the deepaks and the silver coins.
• Then flowers are offered.
• Light the agarbathi sticks and put them in a banana/agarbathi stand.
• Dhoop is shown since the dhoop daani gets hot soon it is advisable to keep a small plate under it.
• The eldest woman of the house or a daughter of the house puts tikka for everyone performing the puja.
• After puja, everyone does pranam to elders and takes their blessings.
• Out of the 11/21 clay deepaks, seven deepaks and one choumukh deepak is left in the thali on the chowki. The remaining deepaks are kept outside the main gate of the house, puja room, kitchen, penda (where you keep the water matka) and other rooms of the house.
• Note: In some houses, the puja on Choti Deepavali is done very simply by lighting 11 deepaks only.