What is the Umro Puja and why is it performed on Diwali?
The Umro Puja, or doorstep puja, is a sacred Diwali ritual performed to welcome Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, into your home. The doorway – or umro – is seen as the gateway of blessings, where the goddess is believed to enter bringing abundance and happiness.
Performing this puja on Diwali honors Goddess Lakshmi and ensures that your home is filled with positivity, prosperity, and divine energy throughout the year. It symbolizes an open invitation to wealth and auspiciousness to cross the threshold into your home.
🪷 Step-by-Step Diwali Umro (Door) Puja Tutorial
1. Arrange the puja thali
- Water – for purification
- Panchamrut – a sacred mix:
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp yogurt
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp ghee
- Prasad (offering) – fruits, sweets, or homemade festive treats.
- Chokha (rice) – represents abundance and fertility.
- Mug (moong beans) – symbol of growth and prosperity.
- Kanku (kumkum) with water – for tilak and blessings.
- Divo (lamp) Thali – main lamp for the puja.
- Q-tip
2. Clean and Prepare the Doorstep
Before beginning the puja, make sure your doorway and entrance area are clean and tidy. Then follow these traditional cleansing steps:
- Wash the umro (doorstep) with clean water.
- Wipe the surface gently with a clean cloth.
- Wash again with milk to purify and invite positive vibrations.
- Wipe once more.
- Wash with water again to complete the purification process.
- Wipe dry with clean cloth one final time.
This triple cleansing ritual purifies the threshold, preparing it for the divine symbols and blessings to follow.
3. Draw the Sacred Symbols
Once your doorstep is clean and dry, it’s time to decorate it with auspicious symbols that represent the arrival of Goddess Lakshmi and good fortune.
- Draw Laxmi Ji’s two feet (pear) in the center of the doorstep, with the toes facing inward, symbolizing the goddess entering your home.
- Draw the sacred symbols halfway between the feet and the edge of the doorstep on each side:
- You can draw “Om” symbols or the swastik (sathiyo) symbol, depending on your family tradition.
- Then, draw an odd number of horizontal lines – traditionally 7, 9, or 11 – across the doorstep.
- Between each line, add small dots from end to end, completing the decorative pattern.
These symbols are sacred markings to invite the goddess’s footsteps and the energy of wealth, peace, and happiness into your home.
4. Offer Your Prayers
With your thali prepared and symbols complete:
- Place the lit divo and prasad in the center of the doorstep, near the drawn symbols.
- Sprinkle the area lightly with chokha (rice) and mug (moong beans) as offerings of abundance.
- Gently bow before the entrance.
- Close your eyes and offer a heartfelt prayer of gratitude, thanking Goddess Lakshmi for her presence and blessings.
- Make wishes for prosperity, happiness, good health, and longevity for your family and loved ones.
5. Complete the Ritual
After the prayer:
- Step into your home with your right foot first, symbolizing auspicious beginnings.
- Place the divo and prasad near your kitchen sink or another safe space until the divo naturally goes out.
- Once the flame is out, share the prasad with your family members as a token of divine blessing.
If you live in an apartment or indoor setting, you may wipe away the drawings after one month once they have served their symbolic purpose.
🌟 Spiritual Significance of the Umro Puja
The umro puja beautifully reminds us that wealth is not only material but also spiritual. It is the harmony, health, and happiness we invite into our homes.
By performing this ritual:
- You open your home to Goddess Lakshmi’s divine energy
- You purify and protect your household from negativity
- You express gratitude for your blessings
- You invite ongoing abundance, peace, and prosperity
✨ Conclusion
The Diwali umro (door) puja is a sacred tradition that honors the goddess at the very threshold of your home. With each step, from cleansing to drawing symbols to offering prayers, you’re creating a pathway for light, positivity, and blessings to enter.
As you perform this beautiful ritual, may Goddess Lakshmi fill your home with wealth, joy, and serenity.
Wishing you and your family a bright, prosperous, and love-filled Diwali. 🪔
Enjoy this video tutorial of the step-by-step Umro (Door) puja:
