​9 favourite foods of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha for Diwali pooja​

As diyas glow and rangolis bloom, kitchens across India turn into sacred spaces. The air thickens with the scent of ghee, sugar, and devotion, a sensory offering to Lakshmi and Ganpati, the divine duo who preside over Diwali. While Lakshmi embodies wealth and abundance, Ganpati blesses beginnings and removes obstacles. Together, they’re welcomed not just with lamps and mantras, but with foods that are said to please their celestial palates. Scroll down for a delicious trail through nine festive offerings that invite prosperity, peace, and good fortune into your home.

If Diwali had a mascot, it would be the modak, soft, fragrant, and delicious. The steamed ukadiche modak remains a staple, though fried and chocolate versions now make an appearance too. The symbolism runs deeper than taste, each fold represents layers of wisdom, while the sweet core is the joy found at the heart of devotion.

Round, golden, and auspicious - ladoos are symbolic of unity and wholeness. Motichoor ladoo is particularly beloved by Ganpati, offered in heaps during prayers. In some traditions, boondi ladoo is offered to both deities together, representing sweetness shared, and luck multiplied. The spherical shape is also said to signify the infinite cycle of creation and dissolution.

Lakshmi is believed to be fond of milk-based sweets, and kheer, rice simmered slowly in milk with sugar, saffron, and nuts is a classic offering. It’s said to reflect purity and abundance. In southern India, paal payasam plays a similar role during Diwali rituals. A silver bowl of this creamy pudding, placed near the goddess’s idol is considered a sign of overflowing prosperity.

Not all offerings are sugary. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, lightly spiced poha or chivda made with flattened rice, peanuts, and curry leaves is prepared for both Lakshmi and Ganpati. It’s believed to attract stability and wealth, perhaps because rice itself is a symbol of fertility and sustenance. When offered warm with a drizzle of ghee, it carries the comfort of home and gratitude.

Coconut is one of the most sacred ingredients in Hindu rituals, pure, selfless, and complete. It’s cracked before the idols of Ganpati and Lakshmi as a symbol of breaking the ego and offering one’s true self. During Diwali, grated coconut finds its way into sweets - barfi, modak, and peda, turning each dish into a fragrant token of devotion.

Known as murmura or lai, puffed rice is associated with simplicity and humility, traits both deities cherish. It’s offered with jaggery or honey as lai laddoo or chikki. In old temple rituals, puffed rice symbolised an open heart - light, unburdened, and ready to receive blessings.

The fruit of patience and nourishment, banana is often placed before both idols. It’s said to be dear to Lakshmi because it grows easily and abundantly, a reminder that prosperity is meant to be shared. Ganpati, too, is offered ripe bananas along with durva grass - balancing sweetness with earthiness.

From besan ladoo to mysore pak, gram flour is believed to attract positive energy. These ghee-rich sweets are favourites of both Lakshmi and Ganpati and are prepared on Chopda Pujan (the day of new beginnings for business ledgers). The aroma of roasting besan is said to invite the goddess herself into the kitchen.

Together, jaggery and ghee form the essence of prasadam, unrefined sweetness and divine richness. Many households prepare small naivedyam bowls with these two ingredients as a minimal yet complete offering. The golden hue of ghee mirrors Lakshmi’s radiance - while jaggery’s grounding warmth reflects Ganpati’s earthy wisdom.