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Dhanteras · Puja & timing
Yama Deepam guide
The Yama Deepam is a lamp set outside the home for Yama, the lord of death — a documented regional custom, not a universal rule.
Keep ready
- Clay diyas
- Oil or ghee
- Wicks
Step by step
- 1Choose a non-flammable, safe spot outside the main door.
- 2Set the lamp (some households use thirteen lamps) facing outward or south.
- 3Light it in the evening with the household lamps.
- 4Keep it supervised; never leave an open flame unattended.
Helpful notes
- The number of lamps and the direction vary by family.
- Deity first, safety always: keep the flame watched.

