Diwali 2026: Which Lakshmi–Ganesh Idol to Buy, How to Place It, and What to Do with Last Year's

2026-09-19

For Diwali 2026, buy a seated clay Lakshmi–Ganesh idol on Dhanteras, 6 November, and install it on 8 November in the north-east on a cloth-covered chowki. Last year's clay idol goes into water or a temple collection, never the dustbin.

For Diwali 2026, Lakshmi Puja falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, and the customary day to buy the idol is Dhanteras, Friday, 6 November 2026. By tradition, choose a clay Lakshmi–Ganesh pair in a seated posture, with Ganesh's trunk curving to his left, and with no chips or cracks anywhere. Seat the idols on a chowki (a low wooden stool) covered with red or yellow cloth in the north-east or north of the home. Last year's clay idol goes into flowing water or a bucket at home, never into the dustbin.

This page answers the three practical questions in one place: which idol to buy, where to seat it, and how to retire the old one respectfully. Everything here follows tradition and vastu custom (vastu: the traditional Indian system of arranging a home). If your family does it differently, your family's way comes first.

The 10-second checklist before you go shopping

Keep this on your phone and tick it off at the stall:

• Day: buy on Dhanteras (6 November); install and worship on 8 November.
• Material: clay (mitti) is both traditional and eco-friendly.
• Posture: both Lakshmi and Ganesh seated.
• Trunk: Ganesh's trunk turned to his left (vamamukhi).
• Lakshmi's symbols: owl, lotus and gold pot clearly visible.
• Condition: no chips, cracks or glued parts.
• Placement: north-east or north, on a chowki with red or yellow cloth, never directly on the floor.
• Old idol: visarjan (immersion) or a temple collection, never the dustbin.

When do you buy the idol and when do you install it in 2026?

Our panchang engine puts Dhanteras on Friday 6 November 2026 and Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November 2026. The details below are for Delhi; sunrise and sunset shift by a few minutes in other cities.

A tithi is a lunar day, and it does not line up with the clock. On 8 November the tithi at sunrise is Chaturdashi, which runs until 11:28; that is why the engine labels the same day both Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) and Diwali (Lakshmi Puja). The Sun is in Tula (Libra) on both days; the Moon is in Kanya (Virgo) on 6 November and in Tula on 8 November. The exact evening window for the puja is covered separately in Lakshmi Puja muhurat for 8 November 2026.

For the Dhanteras shopping muhurat and the full list of what people traditionally buy that day, see the Dhanteras 2026 shopping guide.

Which idol should you buy?

Clay, metal or stone: which material is right?

The traditional Diwali idol is clay. The reason is simple: a clay idol dissolves in water after the puja and returns to the earth. That also makes it the most eco-friendly choice.

A metal or stone idol is not wrong either. The difference is that it is permanent. It is not immersed each year; it lives in the home mandir (the household shrine) and is cleaned and worshipped afresh every Diwali.

Seated or standing?

For household worship, tradition calls for a seated Lakshmi and a seated Ganesh. The seated posture is associated in custom with steadiness, the idea of Lakshmi staying in the home. You will see standing Lakshmi figures at stalls too. They are fine as decoration, but for the puja installation choose the seated pair.

Which way should Ganesh's trunk turn?

For home worship, the common choice is a Ganesh whose trunk curves to his left. This is called vamamukhi Ganesh (vama: left; mukhi: facing). Look at the idol from the front: the trunk should bend toward Ganesh's own left side.

What should a Lakshmi idol show?

A traditional Lakshmi idol carries three identifying symbols:

• Lotus: Lakshmi seated on a lotus, or holding one.
• Owl: her vahana (mount), usually a small figure beside or below her.
• Gold pot: a pot of wealth, or coins pouring from her hand.

If all three are present and cleanly formed, the idol is considered traditionally complete.

How do you check an idol at the stall?

Pick it up and turn it slowly in good light. A khandit (broken or damaged) idol, meaning one with a crack, a glued-back piece or a broken finger or crown, is not used for worship by tradition. Check these spots in particular:

• Ganesh's trunk, hands and crown
• Lakshmi's hands, lotus and crown
• The base, for hairline cracks underneath
• The paint, for flaking or stains

If you spot even a small flaw, ask for another piece without hesitation.

Do you need a new idol every year?

No. Bringing home a new clay idol each year is a widespread custom, but it is not compulsory. If your home mandir already has a permanent metal or stone Lakshmi–Ganesh, clean it, dress it in new cloth and flowers, and worship it on Diwali. Both approaches are accepted in tradition.

How do you install (sthapna) the idols?

Sthapna means seating the idol in its place, in the proper order, ready for worship. It is done on Lakshmi Puja day, 8 November, before the puja begins. Follow this sequence:

1. Choose the direction. In vastu tradition the north-east corner (ishan) is the first choice, and north is the second. The idols should face east or west.
2. Set the chowki. Idols are not placed directly on the floor. Use a clean wooden chowki or low stool.
3. Spread the cloth. Lay a clean red or yellow cloth over the chowki.
4. Place the kalash. A kalash (water pot) goes on or beside the chowki.
5. Ganesh first, then Lakshmi. Seat Ganesh first, then Lakshmi. By tradition Ganesh sits on Lakshmi's left, that is, on her own left side, which appears on your right as you face the idols.
6. Keep them covered. Until the puja starts, keep the idols covered with a clean cloth.
7. Uncover at puja time and begin the vidhi (the ritual sequence).

The complete samagri (materials) list and the step-by-step order of worship are in Diwali 2026 Lakshmi–Ganesh puja vidhi.

What if the north-east corner is not free?

In a flat, the north-east corner is often taken. In that case pick a clean spot along the north side and face the idols east or west. That is the second option in vastu tradition. A place that is clean, quiet and easy to reach every day is what matters most.

What do you do with last year's idol?

For a clay idol from the previous year, the traditional method is visarjan, immersion in flowing water. Many cities now restrict or limit immersion in rivers and lakes. That leaves three respectful options.

Option 1: Bucket visarjan at home

Fill a clean bucket or tub with water. Fold your hands, offer a short prayer, and lower the idol in gently. Clay dissolves slowly on its own. Pour the remaining water and clay into a plant pot or your garden. The idol's clay goes back into the soil and nothing has to be thrown away.

Option 2: Hand it to a temple collection

After Diwali, many temples collect old idols and arrange a collective visarjan. Ask at a temple near you whether they accept idols before you carry yours over.

Option 3: Flowing water, where permitted

If your city has designated a place for immersion, use it. Check the local rules first.

What never to do

Do not put the idol in a dustbin or leave it in the open. An idol that has been worshipped all year is sent off with respect. That is the whole point of the tradition.

If your idol is metal or stone

It is not immersed. Before Diwali, wash it with clean water, dry it, dress it in fresh cloth and seat it back in the same place.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to buy the idol on Dhanteras itself?

Dhanteras, 6 November 2026, is the customary day. It is a custom rather than a strict rule. If that day does not work out, buy before the puja and follow your family's practice.

Which way should the idols face?

East or west, per vastu tradition. The idols sit in the north-east or north, and the person doing the puja sits facing them.

What if I notice a small crack in the idol?

If you see it at the stall, ask for a different piece. If you notice it at home, tradition is to immerse that idol respectfully and bring a new, undamaged one for the puja. Do it calmly; there is no rush.

If you want the tithi, nakshatra and sunrise-sunset for Diwali week in your own city, our daily panchang carries the same data for every day.