Diwali fervour lights up city, Thaneites ready to welcome Goddess Lakshmi today

THANE: The third day of Diwali was marked by lighting lamps, exchanging sweets, bursting firecrackers, drawing rangolis and conducting various pujas. Citizens are gearing up to celebrate Lakshmi puja today.
Anshuman Waghmore, who owns a sweet shop in the city, said, “We belong to the business community and Lakshmi puja is very important for us. After sunset, we gather all the items in the house that embody Goddess Lakshmi, like jewellery and accounting books to worship them.We tie a coconut leaf and a sunflower to everything right from the television set in our living room to the music system and kitchen amenities.”
Twenty-three-year-old Sneha Mewada, another resident, said, “We place a kalash filled with water, areca nut, turmeric and kumkum near the door after which we worship Lord Ganesha. We take the idol, bathe it with milk, curd and rice water following which we put turmeric, kumkum and rice on it and then conduct a puja. After offering Lord Ganesha some prasad, we place the idol of Goddess Lakshmi on a yellow cloth and repeat the same ritual. We offer prasad and fruits to the Goddess, then light diyas and leave the front door open signifying that our doors are open for the Goddess.”
Meanwhile, the North Indian community celebrates Diwali by commemorating the day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana and was crowned the king.