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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

  1. 1Choose a non-flammable, safe spot outside the main door.
  2. 2Set the lamp (some households use thirteen lamps) facing outward or south.
  3. 3Light it in the evening with the household lamps.
  4. 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.