Sindhi
Diwali pujan
Procedure of a Sindhi Diwali Puja
Many of you have
requested me to tell you the way, the Sindhis perform the Diwali puja. I am
going to tell you later. But first, have you heard what Maansic Puja is?
Maansic Puja , is a puja in which you
require nothing but your imagination. You visualise the puja. It may be simple
or elaborate. It can take place at any exotic location. And you can use the most
exorbitant ingredients, as you have to pay for them in terms of only your faith
and love. The advantage of a Maansic Puja is that your mind cannot wander. The
Scriptures promise the same rewards for this Imaginary form of worship Try the
above puja anytime that you are on a flight of fancy, or literal.
Now for the
conventional puja:
Keep your house
clean and draw a rangoli at your doorstep to welcome Goddess Laxmi.
For the best time
for puja, a pandit could be consulted.
You will require:
-
Some silver and gold coins.
-
10 Suparis
-
Some uncooked Rice
-
5 paan leaves
-
A coconut
-
Water in the 'lota'. May add
Ganga water if you have.
-
Kumkum for applying tilak
-
Gulaal (holi colour)
-
Mithaai (Indian sweets)
-
Agarbattis (insence sticks)
-
Diya
-
Camphor
On a new piece of
cloth, make mounds of rice and place suparis on top. The suparis stand for the
planets. Either keep another supari for Ganesh, or a Ganesh icon.
Fill the Lota
with water, adorn paan leaves around the lota .Place a coconut on top of the
lota.
Dress the lota
with a red cloth and tie a red string around it. On the lota draw with kumkum
four lines representing the Vedas. A Swastika moving clockwise with 4 tikas.
Light the agarbattis and the diyas.
On a thaali place
the silver and golden coins. These represent 'wealth' or Mother Laxmi.
Take some water
on your left hand and sprinkle water on to yourself after washing and purifying
your hands.
Place a flower on
your palm with some rice.
Chant the Gayatri
Mantra 3 times (optional).
Now first
visualise Lord Ganesh. Welcome Him to your puja. Chant a Ganesh Mantra. If you
are not very good at remembering mantras, let me make it easier for you. Say:
Om Ganeshaya Namah
or I bow to you Lord Ganesh
Pray to Shivji
the same way. Say:
Om Namah
Shivaya
For the more
enthusiastic ones, please refer to 'Mantras and Prayers' for more mantras /
prayers for Ganesh or Shivji.
Sprinkle water on
the lota, apply kum kum, shower rice, offer a mithaai and fruit and accord the
same treatment that you would to an esteemed guest. The water in the lota stands
for all the sacred rivers.
Follow the same
procedure with the 9 planets and the 4 directions. Sprinkle water towards the
North, South, East and West. These are the 4 'dishaas' of the world or the
Universe.
Then bathe the
silver and gold coins with milk, water, gulaal, flowers and offer the mithaai.
It is said if you make the coins jingle, it would attract Laxmi Ma to come to
you.
Visualise
MahaLaxmi and say: Om Shreem MahaLakshmaye Namah
Now you are ready
for the Aarti. Light the Aarti diya. Light camphor. Sing the aarti to the tune
of 'Om Jai Jagdeesh hare' along with the accompaniment of the jingle of the
bell. (You will find the words of the Aarti at the end of this note)
Then place the
thaali in your safe for 3 days.
Do the above with
faith and devotion and don't worry too much if you do not do it very correctly.
Say 'Haraye
Namaha' 3 times. That takes care of all the mistakes that you may have
committed knowingly or unknowingly during the ritual.
What is most
important is your faith and love.
THE MAHALAXMI
AARTI
Om Jai Laxmi
Mata, Maiya JaiLaxmi Mata,
Tumko nis din sevat, Hari, Vishnu Data
Om Jai Laxmi Mata
Uma Rama
Brahmaani, Tum ho Jag Mata,
Maiya, Tum ho Jag Mata,
Surya ChanraMa dhyaavat, Naarad Rishi gaata.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Durga Roop
Niranjani, Sukh Sampati Data,
Maiya Sukh Sampati Data
Jo koyee tumko dhyaataa, Ridhee Sidhee dhan paataa
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Jis ghar mein
tu rehtee, sab sukh guna aataa,
Maiya sab sukh guna aataa,
Taap paap mit jaataa, Man naheen ghabraataa.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata
Dhoop Deep
phal meva, Ma sweekaar karo,
Maiya Ma sweekaar karo,
Gyaan prakaash karo Ma, Moha agyaan haro.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Maha Laxmiji
ki Aarti, nis din jo gaavey
Maiya nis din jo gaavey,
Dukh jaavey, sukh aavey, Ati aananda paavey.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
