Diwali and solar eclipse, some rules to follow

Diwali, the festival of lights, is the time of the year when Goddess Lakshmi visits our homes. Hence, people clean their homes and light diyas to welcome the goddess of wealth. This year on Diwali, light 24 diyas and keep them around the house or on the altar or in the mandir. The fragrance of agarbatti or dhoop, and fresh flowers will add to the ambience. Make a beautiful rangoli at the entrance of your house. Spend time with family and stay home, pray and eat with the family. Decorate the entrance as it is the mukh dwar of the house — positivity and energy enter the house from the main entrance. In the evening, light diyas and do puja. Follow the mahurat to do Diwali puja to reap benefits. While praying, face the north or east direction. For abundance and wealth, light three red diyas in the southeast zone of the house or office. The Diwali pujan is on October 24.

After Lakshmi pujan is over on October 24, put kusha/darbh/durva on the worshipped Lakshmi coins, over the chopdas and cover them with a red cloth.

On October 25, India will witness a partial solar eclipse. It will start at 4:29 pm and end at 5:42 pm in India. As soon as the clock strikes 12 and the date turns 25, the shadow (sutak) of the solar eclipse starts at 04:49 am early morning.

This time is of utmost importance for the awakening of our self-consciousness and escalating by reciting mantras and chanting. The count becomes thousand-fold. Don’t use your japmala or aasan during this time, count it by some other means and sit on a darbh aasan.

Once the solar eclipse is over, one should take a bath and then visit a temple. The lighting of diyas will continue further the same way like after the completion of Diwali pujan.