Deepavali or Diwali : The Festival of Lights.

Diwali is what can unofficially be termed the national festival of India. The festivities span over 4 days, and each day has its own significance and rituals.

A rough translation of the procedure detailed above is as follows. This tells us the various things to be done on each of the four days surrounding Diwali.

Aniruddha good wishes for Diwali.
Upasana to be done during Diwali is as follows :
On Dhantrayodashi perform Nandaai Paath and the Shree Yantra Upasana.
On Narakchaturdashi  chant the Ganpati Atharvasheersha in the morning. Chanting it once reaps us the benefits of chanting a 108 times, on this day.
On Lakshmipujan(main Diwali day) : Worship the idol of Laxmi mata and the Shree Yantra. Worship the broom.
On the day of Diwali Padva, in the morning, before sunrise, take the dustpan, and making sounds(by clapping, ringing a bell etc), go to the garbage bin and offer Diwali faral (sweets etc made for Diwali) there. Then bring the broom, dip the tip in water and write the name of Sadguru on the door.
[In clarifying this with other shraddhavans, it has been realised, that the dustpan is to be taken, with sounds being made, outside the home, and the faral can also be placed under a tree.]

This document in detail describes the Pujan to be done on the day of Lakshmi Pujan, and is an extract from a story, hence the narrative is as such.

On the day of Diwali, Devyani asked Shambhavi to get a new broom. "Listen, today, the greatest respect is for this(the broom). Because the broom means, Lakshmi Mata's kunchala. Today we worship this, and then Lakshmi Mata.This broom is to be placed at the threshold of the entrance door, in the corner. It has to be offered Haldi-Kumkum(haldi-kumkum needs to be applied/put on the broom), flowers, and aarti has to be done with a diya.And later after doing namaskar to it. With deep feelings from the heart we have to say, 

Baiga bai tu majhya aajisaarkhi majhyasaathi majhyagharat raha.

Baiga bai  majhya saasusarkhi majhya pratyek goshtthit khot kaadh,

Baiga bai majhya bahinisaarkha majhya rastyatale kaante baajula saar,

Baiga bai majhya papnichya kessarkhimjhya dolyateel kachra baajula kaadh,

Majhya gharat aanandaane firat raha.

[Translation - Bai, O Bai like my grandmother live with me in my home

Bai, O Bai like my mother-in-law find faults in all my doings

Bai, O Bai like my sister, remove all the thorns from my path 

Bai, O Bai like my eyelashes, remove the dirt from my eyes

In my home live, and move around freely and happily.  ]

After saying this, respectfully, bring the broom inside."

Shambhavi dressed up in a beautiful new saree and as told by her mother, worshipped the broom. Devyani told her, this broom goes around the home and hence the house remains clean and beautiful. Wherever there is cleanliness, contentment(samadhaan) and devotion, there Lakshmi Mata lives in joy. Come now lets worship Goddess Lakshmi. Today we have to worship the kalash. Take a small chaurang or paat, and place a clean silk or cotton cloth on it. Now spread some wheat or rice grains on it, and place the kalash on it. Put some rice or wheat grains in the kalash too. And now place a tamhaan(copper plate) on the kalash and again  put wheat or rice grains on it and place a photo or idol of Lakshmi Mata on it(We can place Nandaai's photo or idol here). If we do not possess a photo or idol, a branch from a mango tree and and coconut need to be placed. Food grains are a symbol of prosperity. As advised by Devyani, Shambhavi did everything lovingly. Apply gandh and akshata to the kalash. Offer flowers to it.Now listen, offer it a gajra of jasmine.Light a lamp(diya) and offer naivedya  (food offered to deities). Now we place some money and jewellery in the tamhaan and apply haldi-kumkum to them too. And then pray to Aai (Lakshmi Mata)

Aamchyatil Aalas door kar va kartutva vaadhav,

kaayam samaadhaan thev,

bhaktibhaav vaadhu det,

kadhihi utanaar nahi maatnaar naahi,

ase aashirwaad de tu mhanje,

tu aanandaane aamchya gharat naandsheel.

[Remove my laziness and let my good deeds grow,

Let contentment stay,

Let the devotion grow,

May I never become proud or forgetful(about receiving all your blessings)

Give me these blessings,

And live in my home happily. ]

Thus together everyone prayed to Lakshmi Mata.

Happy Deepawali!

[*The links for kalash,chaurang etc are just for seeing the images, it is not a recommendation to buy from those particular websites.]