Mumbai: At the home of Nalin Pandey, there is care being taken on the auspicious timing of the Diwali Puja, or Lakshmi Puja. All that is required for prayers during Lakshmi Puja is being gathered, and auspicious timing is being closed on. Auspicious timing is something that most people look to have for their Pujas, as they feel Goddess Lakshmi is more benevolent.
"My priest will tell me the exact time when the prayers will happen at home but as of now it is happening in the evening. Office prayers, we will do it in the morning," said Pandey.
Though Diwali festivities are considered to be five days long, starting from Dhanteras, this time there is a break due to grahan (eclipse) happening on October 25
"Diwali normally is celebrated for five days and starts from the day of Dhanteras. Day after Diwali is Choti Diwali and then Badi Diwali. This year Amawas Shubh Muhurat starts from the afternoon of October 24 and will go on for the whole night. Since there is grahan the next day, there will be no Pujas happening," said Acharya Shri Sanjay, a priest who conducts Pujas at various homes.
Explaining the emphasis of Amawas / Amavasya Shubh Muhurat, the Acharya said, "It is said that the Goddess Lakshmi when prayed this time, is more stable. It is a tradition to pray during the mahurat of Amawas. Lakshmi is of two types - stable and unstable. The most auspicious is Amawas / Amavasya time and to ensure that she is stable, prayers are done," said Acharya.
Pandits and temples said that during the Solar Eclipse (Surya Grahan), prayers do not happen and hence the following day when Govardhan Puja is done, there will be no prayers.
"When there is a grahan, there is Sutak dosh. This time it starts from early morning around 5.45 am on October 25. Even though the grahan is between 4 pm to 6 pm or so, and it is an ardha grahan (half eclipse), the dosh is considered to be full. No Pujas are held during such time and temples in the house are also kept shut," said Acharya.
At the Mumbadevi Temple, the temple will be shut for some period.
"In our temple, Diwali Puja will happen on Monday. We will be opening the temple at 6.30 am. There will be aarti, deepotsav in the evening at 6 pm and then Chopda Pujan at 6.30 pm. During Diwali, we have extended time where the Temple shuts at 10 pm instead of 9 pm.
"However, on the next day, we will keep the temple shut during the daytime due to the eclipse. It will open early in the morning before sutak and Puja will be done. No Prasad will be accepted or given on Tuesday. In the evening we will clean the Mandir do Shringar of Mata and will open at around 8.15 pm ," said Hemant Jadhav, trustee of the Mumbai Devi Temple.
