What is the name of the main day of Diwali when Lakshmi is worshipped?

The main day of Diwali when Lakshmi is worshipped is Lakshmi Puja. It falls on the festival’s third day, the darkest night of the lunar month, when homes and temples are illuminated with rows of diyas.

Lakshmi is revered as the goddess of wealth, prosperity and good fortune. Families traditionally clean and decorate their homes before the ceremony, believing that a welcoming, orderly house invites the goddess’s blessings. Many households worship Ganesha alongside Lakshmi, seeking both prosperity and auspicious beginnings.

The observance varies by region. In Bengal and some eastern parts of India, Kali Puja is the principal ritual on the same night rather than Lakshmi Puja. The other Diwali days have distinct names: Dhanteras begins the festival, Naraka Chaturdashi follows, Govardhan Puja or Balipratipada comes next, and Bhai Dooj commonly closes the five-day sequence.