Do any puja take place in Diwali in home or shop?
Yes. During Diwali, many Jains do a small home or shop puja (aarti) to mark the festival. The aim is to honor the Tirthankaras and Mahavira’s kevala jnana, and to seek inner light and auspiciousness. Common practices include:
- Lighting a lamp or diya and offering flowers and incense.
- Reciting Namokar Mantra and other simple Jain prayers.
- Reading or listening to brief Jain scriptures or stories about Mahavira.
- Performing a short, personal devotion (upa-puja) or a calm reflection, sometimes called a swadhyay or bhakti at home.
- If time allows, doing a brief Pratikraman or Samayik (period of mindful reflection) during the Diwali period.
Notes on differences:
- Digambar and Shwetambar traditions may differ in the exact format of the puja and which deities or figures are focused upon, but both often include lamp lighting, offerings, and remembrance of Mahavira and other Tirthankaras in a domestic setting.
- Some households keep the ritual simple and avoid elaborate idol worship at home, while others may use a small shrine or image to focus their prayers.
If you’d like, I can outline a very short, traditional domestic puja vs. a slightly more formal version, with the exact mantras and sequence (Digambar vs. Shwetambar variants) in simple steps.