On the evening of Sunday, 8 November 2026, homes across the world will set up an altar for Lakshmi Puja. Most families spend days on lamps, sweets and decoration. Far fewer think about where the idols will actually sit. Yet in Vastu Shastra and in the traditional puja texts, direction is part of the ritual itself, not a detail to settle in the last ten minutes before the muhurat.
The Best Corner of the House
The north-east zone, called Ishan Kon, is the preferred place for any home altar. It is ruled by Jupiter and is considered the purest part of a house, where morning light enters first. A Lakshmi Puja set up here is believed to draw steady, well-guided prosperity.If the north-east is not available, the north is the next best choice. North is the direction of Kubera, the treasurer of the gods. So a puja facing this zone carries a natural link with money and savings.Avoid the south-west for the puja. It is the zone of weight and stability, suited to storage and rest, not to worship. Never place the altar under a staircase, next to a bathroom wall or inside a bedroom.
Which Way Should the Idols Face?
The working rule is simple. The person doing the puja should face east or north. This means the idols are placed in the north or east part of the room, facing west or south towards the worshipper.East brings the energy of the rising Sun and supports clarity and good health. North supports wealth and new opportunities. Either is correct, so choose whichever the room allows comfortably.But do not place the idols with their back to the main entrance of the home. Tradition holds that the goddess should be able to see the door through which she is invited.
Lakshmi on Which Side of Ganesha ?
This is the question most families argue over. The traditional answer is that Goddess Lakshmi sits on the right-hand side of Lord Ganesha. In Hindu custom, a wife takes her place on her husband’s left. Lakshmi is not Ganesha’s consort, so she is placed on his right. If Goddess Saraswati is also worshipped, she sits on Ganesha’s left.Ganesha is worshipped first in every ritual, as the remover of obstacles. Lakshmi follows, and the pair together signify wealth that arrives through wisdom and without hurdles.
Choosing the Right Idols
Small details in the idols matter as much as direction.·Goddess Lakshmi should be seated, ideally on a lotus. A standing Lakshmi is traditionally believed to suggest wealth that does not stay.·Lord Ganesha should also be seated, with his trunk turned towards his own left. This form is considered gentle and well suited to homes.·Choose idols that are whole. Any chip or crack on the face or hands makes an idol unsuitable for worship.·Many households bring new clay idols every Diwali and respectfully immerse or retire the old ones.
Setting Up the Altar
Place the idols on a raised wooden platform, a chowki, covered with clean red or yellow cloth. They should never sit directly on the floor. Leave a small gap between the idols and the wall behind them.The main ghee lamp is usually placed to the right of the deities, in line with the south-east, which is the zone of Agni, the fire element. The kalash, filled with water and topped with mango leaves and a coconut, sits towards the north-east of the platform. Keep coins, account books or a small locker key close to Lakshmi’s feet if they are to be blessed.Make sure the setup is finished well before the Vrishabha Lagna window opens on the evening of 8 November. Venus rules this fixed sign, and once the muhurat begins, every minute should go to worship rather than rearranging the platform.
