PUJA

also spelled Pooja, or Poojah, Sanskrit Puja, in Hinduism, ceremonial worship, ranging from brief daily rites in the home to elaborate temple ritual. The components of a puja vary greatly according to the sect, community, part of the country, time of day, needs of the worshiper, and religious text followed. Generally speaking, in a puja, a deity, manifested in his image, is accorded the honour given to a royal guest. The attentions (upacaras) paid to him begin in the morning, when he is gently roused from sleep, and extend through the day, including ritual bathing and dressing, the serving of the usual three meals, and the final ceremony of putting him to bed for the night. A puja may also include a circumambulation (pradaksina) of the image or shrine and, in an elaborate ritual, a sacrifice (bali) and oblation to the sacred fire (homa). Special ceremonies according to the festival calendar may also be observed, such as swinging the god or playing games according to the season. Some pujas may be performed by the worshiper alone, while others may require the services of a ritually pure person such as a priest. A puja may be performed for a specific announced purpose or simply as an act of devotion.