Puja is a sacred practice that Hindu people perform
on different occasions to worship, pray or show respect to their
deities. Puja is considered as an act of showing reverence to the
almighty through invocations, prayers (mantra, slokas), songs (bhajans),
and rituals. According to Hinduism, Pooja makes a spiritual connection
between the deity and the devotee.
Usually Hindus pray once or twice in a day. There are many different
types of pujas for inaugurations, marriages, birthdays etc. in the Hindu
religion. Puja is generally observed after a shower. And it is
recommended that rituals should be performed before eating to make sure
sattvic (holy) qualities and concentration (dhyana) of the devotee.
The Idol Worship - Murti Puja
The image, icon or any other symbol of the god during puja becomes the
means of gaining access to the almighty. Although, the idol is not the
god itself but it is considered to be filled with the god's celestial
powers. The idols are created as containers for spiritual power that
make the devotee to experience the direct communication with the god.
The idol acts as a medium to respect and honour, the god. Idol Worship
doesn't stand for blind faith but it shows the feelings of a devotee
towards the god. The beautiful images of the divine which are always
observed show that people consider God in the ultimate manner. The
images serve as visual metaphors to express the invisible divine
reality. This section covers the following puja:
