Our religion and culture is a complex system of beliefs that bind together our faith and our values. It is unique in every way and is a source of peace for a lot of us. Puja or Pooja is an integral part of this faith, something that’s been done since ever. In many ways, it is symbolic of our values and what they mean in our lives.

On special occasions like Diwali, Baisakhi, Rakhi, birthdays, etc. you perform special Pujas using Pooja Thali , that makes the occasion not only memorable but also auspicious. But at a young age, it can be difficult to understand why we do Puja during all these times, especially if it’s significance has never been explained. On knowing the reasons behind the foundations of your faith, the bond becomes all the more stronger.

So, read on and discover, why is it that we do Puja or Pooja? And how does it benefit, your home and your family?

What is Puja?

Essentially, Puja is a ceremony or ritual during which we make offerings to a deity in order to receive blessings or good fortune as prasad. During a Puja, we often repeat sacred stotras or verses or mantras that help us to connect to God and make our mind peaceful.

The entire act of Puja is a symbolic means of showing devotion to a deity and surrendering oneself at the altar, as a mark of true worship.

Who performs Puja?

In truth, anyone who has a faith and believes in a deity or scripture or Guru can perform Puja at their home. So you really don’t need any qualification to do puja. Just your faith is enough.

But there are individuals called Pujaris or priests, who have studied the scriptures and gained knowledge by which they guide us to perform certain rituals. They help us understand the significance of these rituals, pooja items, pooja mandir and why is puja important so that we perform them with utmost faith. They are aware of certain rules for each ritual, like which Puja to perform during an occasion or which puja should be conducted at a certain time. Also, they know what are the sacred objects that are required to perform a Puja. So, taking guidance from them is helpful.

These Pujaris devote their entire lives to the service of God. They pass on their knowledge to worthy students, who too want to follow this path.

Why perform Puja?

The reason is in the word itself – “Pu” means ‘to purify’ or ‘to cleanse’ and “ja” means ‘birth’. So, as you perform Puja, you cleanse your body, mind, and intellect and essentially take a new birth each time. So, if you feel that you need to reset your inner self and start anew, a Puja is what will help you get there.

While performing a Puja your body, mind, and intellect are all aligned and focused on one thing – your deity. While you are performing the actions with your hands, you are chanting or reciting His name with complete faith and reverence. It’s a great way to discipline yourself and make your mind single pointed.

If one is overwhelmed with negative thoughts, burdened with pressure or problems, or simply cannot understand which way to turn, then a Puja will also help in clearing up the mind and seeing a path that was previously hidden. Your negativity can have an adverse effect on your house and your loved ones too. So not only does a puja help you but also your environment. Read about significance of lighting a diya during puja.

You actually don’t need any specific pooja materials to pray, just your availability. But to perform puja, you may need a few essentials. These can be as simple or as elaborate as you may like, makes no difference. What makes a difference is your faith. If you are looking for options for Pooja Thali or  Puja Items we can offer you a beautiful set with hand-beaten copper and brass items.