North Texas Hindu Mandir

POOJAA

Poojaa or ritualistic worship is the divine offering of the body through Sevaa (service), the offering of the mind through Bhakti (pure thoughts), and the offering of the intellect through Vigyaana (spiritual knowledge). Poojaa consists of two letters -Pa and Ja. 'Pa' means Paapanaashana which stands for the removal of impurities and 'Jaa' means Janmavicheda or the cessation of the cycle of birth and death. 

INGREDIENTS FOR POOJAA
  • Bedi - rectangular, made of wood, filled with dirt, and decorated with flour. A fig tree is placed near the centre (some poojas)
  • Kalash (Kalsa) - earthen pot
  • Paraai - earthen plate
  • Havan Kund - fire pot, with mango, peepal, bael or other wood
  • Picture or Murti of deity to be worshipped
  • Lotaa of water
  • Thaali for Aaratee
  • Thaali or brass plate with white rice and sugar
  • Deeyas
  • Ghee
  • Dahee (yogurt)
  • Prasaad and fruits
  • Mango leaves (including branch with 5 leaves)
  • Bael leaves
  • Tulsee leaves
  • Paan leaves (about 15)
  • Flowers 
  • Sindoor 
  • Haldee (Hardi)
  • Camphor 
  • Googul 
  • Clove 
  • Milk
  • Doob grass
  • Perfume  
  • Black Till (Sesame)
  • White Till
  • Supaaree (at least 18)
  • Cotton wool
  • Cotton wick
  • Incense (Agarbatti)
  • Matches 
  • 9 small flags (2 red; 2 white; 2 black; 1 yellow;  1 grey; 1 green)

ADDITIONAL ITEMS
  • Ladoo (Ganesha Poojaa)
  • Sugar-cane, Bataasa, Dhatoora flowers (Shiva Poojaa)
  • Coconut wrapped in yellow cloth, Lapsee and Suhaaree, sweet rice, Arahul or any red flower, neem leaves (Durgaa Poojaa).
  •  Roat, and chipped coconut (Hanumaan Poojaa)
  • Panjari (Surya Naaraayana and Satya Naaraayana Poojaa)
  • Fruits (Saraswatee Poojaa)

PANCHAAMRIT 
  • Milk
  • Yogurt or curd
  • Sugar
  • Ghee
  • Honey
  • (Also Tulsee Leaves)

LOTAA OF DHAAR USED FOR DURGAA POOJAA:
  • Hardi, Sindoor, Clove, Camphor, Supaaree, Neem leaves, Perfume, Rice, Arahul or any red flower

COLOUR OF FLAGS FOR VARIOUS DEITIES
  • Ganesha - Orange or light yellow
  • Shiva - White or green
  • Hanumaan- Red
  • Durgaa - Yellow
  • Saraswatee - White
  • Lakshmee - Pink
  • Satyanaaraayana -White with red border
  • Suryanaaraayana - White or Red
  • Shanideva - Black

AUSPICIOUS DAYS FOR WORSHIP
  • Ganesha - any day, especially Ganesha Chaturthi (4th day after full moon)
  • Shiva - any day, particularly Monday and Friday - especially Trayodashi (13th lunar day or tithi)
  • Hanumaan - Tuesday, Saturday
  • Durgaa - Monday, Friday - especially the Ashtami (8th tithi) Saraswatee - Wednesday, Friday
  • Lakshmee - Monday, Friday
  • Satyanaaraayana - any day, especially Sunday and Poornima (full moon)
  • Suryanaaraayana - Sunday
  • Shanidev- Saturday

This excerpt was taken from the book Jyotir Vigyaan - The Light of True Knowledge, written by Pdt. Munelal Maharaj and Smt. Naveeta Maharaj. This excerpt is reproduced with the written permission of Pundit Munelal Maharaj.  Copyright @ 1999 Pdt. Munelal Maharaj.

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