In Gujarat, Lakshmi Puja during Diwali is popularly known as Chopda Puja.
It is a well-known fact that Gujarati community is famous for their business skills. They successfully manage their family businesses generation after generation, and these family businesses, unlike corporate houses, sustain traditions even in the modern India. Many of the professionally run businesses also follow the culture and tradition of India and choose auspicious timings to initiate important business events. Chopda Puja is performed to seek blessing of deities to make a business successful and profitable in the coming year.
Diwali is the best time to seek blessing of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Maa Sharda to make the coming year successful and profitable. Hence the business people sanctify new account books during Diwali Chopda Puja.
In Gujarat, traditional accounting books are known by the name Chopda or Chopada. In the modern age of computer and Internet, importance of Chopda has been limited because computers and accounting software are popular in most businesses to manage their accounts. However, it does not affect the significance of Chopda Puja because nowadays laptop is used as Chopda and the businessmen worship it in front of deities. Symbols like Swastika, Om and Shubh-Labh are drawn on the top of the laptop, which replaces Chopda.
In Gujarat, Choghadiya Muhurat is considered suitable to perform Chopda Puja. People prefer to choose auspicious Choghadiya timings on the Deepavali day. Choghadiya Muhurat like Amrit, Shubh, Labh and Char are considered auspicious to perform Puja. The benefit of using Choghadiya Muhurat is that they prevail during the day time as well as night. However, according to Electional Astrology, Lagna based Muhurat, especially during Pradosh, are preferred over Choghadiya Muhurat. Hence, Lagna based Diwali Muhurat and Pradosh based Lakshmi Puja Muhurat are treated as more significant during Diwali Lakshmi Puja.
Chopda Puja ritual is also known as Muhurat Pujan and Chopada Pujan. Other than Gujarat, Chopda Puja is also performed by the Hindu business community in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.