Hindu Worship: Puja
Aim: To know what puja is and to
understand why it is important for
Hindus.
Puja
What you will learn:
1) What Puja is.
2) Why Hindus carry out Puja.
3) What are the advantages of puja in the
home.
4) What are the advantages of puja in the
temple.
Puja
Write down the things you do as a matter
of routine from the moment you wake in
the morning to the moment you go to
sleep at night.
What is so important in your routine that
you would feel totally lost if you forgot to
do it? Anything?
Hindu Worship
• Hindus believe their
religion affects everything
they do, so everything in
their life is worship.
• Particular forms of
worship may include
repeating names of God,
listening to or reading the
holy books, or making
offerings.
Puja
• Puja is the most common
form of worship.
• It can be very simple or
complicated.
• It involves making an offering
to an image or picture of one
of the gods or goddesses.
• An image is called a MURTI,
which mean form.
• A murti is intended to help
people worship as it shows a
quality of Brahman
Puja
• Puja is a daily routine for Hindus.
• Puja is an act of daily worship.
• Puja is made at least once a day, usually
in the morning.
• It is a simple form of worship using
Mantras (prayers) and making offerings.
• At the end of Puja, any food offered to the
god - usually rice - is shared out amongst
the worshippers.
• This food is known as prashad.
The Practice of Puja
• Hindus are normally devoted to one God
Shiva, Krishna, Ganesh, Kali etc. but they
may worship other gods as well.
• At the heart of a Hindu home, and the
focus of worship is the shrine.
Shrines
• A shrine is a special holy place.
• A Hindu house always has a shrine where
the murtis or pictures are kept.
• Sometimes it is very simple, just a shelf on
a wall, while other shrines may be
beautifully decorated.
• If the house is large it may be in a special
room otherwise it is usually in the kitchen or
mother’s bedroom.
• The murti is surrounded by flowers and
perfume.
The Practice of Puja
• Worship at home takes place at least once
a day.
• The point is to spend time in the presence
of God so Hindus prepare for it and
perform it carefully.
• If there is a murti in the shrine it is washed,
dried and touched with special coloured
powders.
• It may have flowers hung around it.
The Practice of Puja
• Food, water and flowers are offered but
the gifts do not need to be large or
expensive, a grain of rice or flower petal
are enough.
• While they are making puja Hindus repeat
mantras - usually verses from holy books.
• They may begin with sacred word Aum.
• Worshippers do not wear shoes.
The image of the god is “awakened” by the
lighting of a flame (Agni) and by the sound
of the prayer (Mantra), the playing of
music (Raga) or the ringing of the bell.
Incense is burned and Arti performed before
the image – this is when the tray of candles
is passed round and their fire and light
becomes the focus of worship.
The worshipper will then put his/her hands
together and raise them to the forehead or
the breast. A drop of holy water is drunk.
A Picca (or Tilak) mark is placed on the
forehead, and worshippers leave with their
prashad.
All five senses have been awakened to begin the day.
Q. In what ways are the five senses awakened during
puja?
Worship in the Temple
Worship in the Temple
• In India, every village will have a temple or
Mandir.
• Some of the temples are very grand but many are
very simple.
• They are usually shaped like mountains as this is
where the gods dwell and a mandir is seen as the
meeting point between heaven and earth.
• Mandirs are usually associated with one particular
deity and will often have larger and more
spectacular murtis
Worship in the Temple
Worship in the Temple
• The shrine housing the image is the holiest
part of the temple and will be placed directly
below the spire.
• This is called the garbha griha.
• Although people are not permitted to touch
the murti, people will often walk around
them, or even prostrate themselves before
the deity.
• Seeing the deity is known as Darshan
A Garbha Griha
Worship in the Temple
• Puja in the mandir is conducted by priests
(Brahmins) and their helpers.
• But much of what happens during Puja in the
temple is similar to what happens at home…
• Shoes are removed
• Bells are rung
• Images are cleaned and prepared
• Incense is burnt and food is offered as prashad
Worship in the Temple
• The key part of worship in the temple is the
Arti ceremony
• As the worshippers sing Bhajans (hymns)
A lighted lamp is waved in front of the deity
to take on some of their power.
• Then the priest emerges from the garbha
griha and allows them to pass their hands
over the flame and then over their faces
and heads to take on some of the power.
Q. Explain what happens during
puja in a temple.
• Shoes are removed as a mark of respect.
• Gifts (food, fruit, flowers, etc) are taken to the shrine room to
be laid before the statues as offerings to the deities.
• Bhajan – the singing of special hymns to show devotion.
• Havan – the lighting of a small fire (wood and ghee) to
sacrifice to the deities.
• Arti – a tray containing five lights is waved in front of the
statues by the Brahmin to bless the deities. The flames are
taken round worshippers who run their hands over the
flames before wiping their hands over their heads. Hindus
believe that when they do this they receive the power of God.
• A tilak is placed on the forehead to show that the person has
been to worship.
Puja takes place on a daily basis.
Do you think daily worship is helpful for
Hindus living in Scotland today?
•
•
•
•
Helpful
Maintains religious traditions in increasingly secular society.
Maintains Hinduism in a non-Hindu country.
Enables Hindus to express themselves and their religious
sentiments freely.
•
•
•
•
Not helpful
Daily puja is too time consuming – work demands etc.
Daily puja has no place in an increasingly secular society.
Daily puja might lead to feelings of resentment/alienation.
Puja in the Temple or Puja at Home?
• Hindus do not need to go to the Temple
(Mandir) for Puja. They can worship at home.
• However, many Hindus like to visit the
Temple and can do so at any time during the
day.
• In Britain many Hindus worship in the Temple
on a Sunday morning and on special
festivals.
Puja in the Temple or Puja at Home?
Q “Is worship in the home more important than
worship in the temple for Hindus.”
• Why would Hindus want to meet in the
temple?
• Why would worship at home be more
important than worship in the temple?
• Would it make any difference if the Hindu
were living in Britain or India?
What have you learnt about puja?
• Do you know what Puja is?
• Do you know why Hindu’s carry out Puja?
• Do you know the advantages of having
puja in the home?
• Do you know the advantages of having
puja in the temple?