Hindu worship or puja at home requires idols (murtis/deity) and prayers (mantras). Usually the deity(s) or pictures are kept in a quiet place called a puja room. Puja in Sanskrit means “honor” or “worship”. We welcome God or Goddess the same way as we welcome our guests. If time is of the essence, the following steps can be taken for the puja:

• Sit on a small carpet or low stool (raised wood plank) facing North or East.
• Create an altar for the presiding deity
• Clean the place and God/Goddess by sprinkling few drops of water. Use a separate cloth to wipe the deity and later, apply Haldi (turmeric) & Kumkum to the deity.
• Light the lamps and place in front of the deity.
  • Keep betel leaves, nuts, flowers and fruits in a plate in front of The God/Goddess.
• After keeping the items in front of the God/Goddess, begin with Ganesh or Vishwaksena puja or prarthana.
• Then, start chanting shlokas or mantras as per your family traditions.
• After worshiping with shlokas, you decorate the God/Goddess with flowers and offer Naivedyam.
• Light aarti Diya and perform aarti.
• Finally, conclude with Pradakshina (circumambulation, which means going in a clockwise direction) namaskar at the end of puja.
• Give everyone present, prasad which you offered as Naivedyam.

Shodasha Upachara vidhi (process)

This is a 16-step service to be executed during worship. It is usually rendered with Vedic chants. Devotees can perform this mentally by closing their eyes, called the “manasa puja.”

On the festival days, the respective God/Goddess is invited, and the following 16 services are performed during puja:

• Dhyanam (meditating on the God/Goddess that is being invoked)
  • Recite a short prayer specific to God/Goddess that one is worshiping and engage the mind into lotus feet of that God/Goddess.
• Avahanam (inviting the God/Goddess into the altar)
  • Invite God/Goddess to come into the place of worship or idol by chanting the Vedic verse as though you are inviting a loveable guest inside your home.
• Asanam (Giving the God/Goddess a seat)
  • Offer the God/Goddess a seat. when inviting a guest to your house you would offer a comfortable seat to relax. In similar way by chanting the Vedic verse offer a seat to the chosen God/Goddess.
• Padyam (Washing the God/Goddess feet with water)
  • Wash the feet of God/Goddess by pouring water at His/Her feet. Imagine you are washing the delicate, lotus feet of the Lord.
• Arghya (offering the God/Goddess water to rinse hands and mouth)
• Achamaniyam (offering the God/Goddess water to drink)
• Snanam (bathing the God/Goddess with only water or Panchamrutha abhishekam (Milk, Curds, Honey, Sugar & Ghee) (keep this aside)
  • Wash the God/Goddess with water and wipe clean
• Vastram (dress the God/Goddess with new clothes)
• Yagnopavitam (offering the God/Goddess a clean sacred thread) (Janevu)
• Gandha (spreading fresh sandalwood paste on the God/Goddess)
  • Turmeric & Kumkum offering
• Pushpa (offering flowers)
  • Recite 108 names of the God/Goddess while offering flowers.
• Dhoopam (offering incense smoke)
• Deepam (offering diya)
• Naivedyam (offering the deity food)
• Taambulam & Dakshina (offering betel leaves and nuts & money)
• Perform aarti
  • Pradakshina and namaskaram (circumambulating the altar, request forgiveness for any omission, mistakes and other unknowing errors.
  • Take the holy water or Panchamrutha (request God/Goddess grace and blessings for everyone. Request the God/Goddess return when the Avahana is offered next time.