Gujarati worship of Goddess Sharda (Saraswati) with the new account books on Diwali

Sharda Puja is the worship of Goddess Sharda — Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, speech and learning — performed by Gujarati and Marwari families and business owners on Diwali, alongside the Lakshmi Puja and the Chopda Pujan. The name Sharda comes from the ancient Sharada Peeth in Kashmir, once one of the greatest seats of learning, where the Goddess was worshipped as the patroness of scholarship; the Sharada script is named after her. In Gujarat, Sharda is invoked on the last day of the year so that the wealth Lakshmi brings is guided by wisdom and honesty. The new account books (chopda) are placed before her, and 'Shri Sharda Devi' is written in them along with the swastika and 'Shubh-Labh'. Pens and inkpots are worshipped, and students place their books on the altar. The puja expresses a key idea of the Diwali night: Lakshmi (wealth), Saraswati (wisdom) and Ganesha (right beginnings) must be worshipped together for prosperity to last.

No fast is required.