(13.4.3) Importance of Puja Samagri / Pooja Material / Puja items

What is the Puja Samagri / What is the importance of Pooja items / Significance of Puja Samgri

Pooja or Puja is a process in Hinduism through which the devotee or the worshiper shows his respect and honor to the deity in order to please him/her. For Puja the Hindus use different Pooja Samgri ( Pooja items or Puja material). Here under is the list of some common Puja items and their spiritual and religious importance -
Kalash (a Pot) - Kalash is the symbol of universe and positive energy. The water filled in it is the symbol of seas, rivers and holy ponds. A Kalash produces positive energy in and around the place of Puja.
Earthen Lamp - An earthen lamp is the symbol of sun, moon, and knowledge. It shows the right path and leads the devotee from darkness (ignorance) to the light (true knowledge).
Milk - Milk is the symbol of peace. By using  it as Puja Samagri, the person is blessed with good health  and lives a happy and peaceful life.
Honey - Honey is the symbol of sweetness. The person leads a happy life life and has sweet relations with his kith and kin.
Roli - Roli is a sacred mixture of lime (Choona) and turmeric (Haldi) powder. It is a symbol of good fortune.
Moli - Moli is tied on the wrist of a person. It is the symbol of spiritual activities.
Dhoop Batti (Incense stick) - It is a symbol of purity, freshness, love and compassion. It makes the environment pure.
Water -Water is the symbol of life.
Rice - Rice is the symbol of peace,longevity and purity of life. It removes all the financial problem.
Flowers - Flowers are the symbol of joy, purity, sweetness and fragrance. They bring joy and purity in the life of the worshiper.
Coconut - Coconut is the symbol of  comfort and harmony.
Gud  - Gud is considered as very pious material for Puja. It is the symbol of sweetness. It brings good health and wealth and removes bitterness.
Supari (betel nut) - It is the symbol of strength,longevity,good health and prosperity.
Betel Leaves - They are the symbols of freshness and prosperity.
Mango leaves - They are the symbol of greenery, sweetness and immortality. They fill the life with joy and purity.
Ghee - It the symbol of good health. By using it as Pooja Samgri the worshiper achieves salvation.
Other related Posts -
(13.1.7) Puja Vidhi / Shodashopachar Puja Vidhi

(13.1.21) Panchamrit ( How is Panchamrit Prepared )

What is Panchamrit -
The word Panchamrit is the combination of the words ' Panch ' which means five and ' Amrit ' which means nectar. Thus Panchamrit is a mixture of five things. These five things are - Milk of a cow, Curds, Ghee, Sugar and Honey.
How is Panchamrit Prepared - 
Panchamrit is made of five things
1. Milk of a cow
2. Curds ( made from cow milk )
3. Ghee ( made from cow milk )
4. Sugar
5. Honey
According to the requirement of the occasion, the above mentioned five things are mixed usually in equal proportion or in quantity but it is not always necessary to take all the things in equal quantity. Any of them may be more or less in quantity.
Use and importance of Panchamrit - 
> Panchamrit is used for the worship of the gods.
> It is also used for the Abhishek.
> For any kind of worship.

(13.4.1) Lakshmi Puja Samagri / Diwali Pujan items

The list of the  items or Samagri or material is given below -
- One Thali for putting Puja items
- A Paataa made of wood for putting the picture of goddess Lakshmi.
- A Lotha full of water
- A kalash made of clay
- Two coconuts
- Five Supari
- Two garlands
- A few flowers
- Gur (molasses)
- Prasad (in the form of sweet)
- Fruit
- Rice
- Moong
- Two Deepak (earthen lamp)
- Kumkum
- Mauli
- Ornaments
- Change (a few coins)
- Lavang
- Ilaaichee
- Ghee
and the most required things are worshiper's faith, devotion and  reverence to goddess Lakshmi.

Other Related Posts :- 

(10.1.3). Dhan Teras 

(10.1.8) Narak Chaturdashi / Roop Chaturdshi 

(5.2.5) Diwali / Lakshmi Puja

(13.2.5) How to celebrate a safe Diwali / Precautions while bursting crackers

(13.2.6) Diwali greetings & Diwali S M S
(13.4.1) Lakshmi Puja Samagri /Lakshmi Puja items
(14.5.2) Ashta Lakshmi

(13.1.6) Aarti / Arti (during Puja)/ What is Aarti ?

What is Aarti ?  How and why is Aarti Performed ?

What is Aarti ?
The word 'Aarti' is used in two forms -
1. As a part of Hindu worship.
There are sixteen upchars of Hindu Puja.Aarti is also one of them.
2. As a song or a hymn which is sung in the praise of the deity.
To pay devotion and respect to any god a song is sung with proper rhythm. This rhythmical song is also known as Aarti.
The other names for Aarti are Aaraatrikaa or Aarartikaa or Neeraajan.
Why is Aarti Performed ?
Aarti is a part of Shodashopachaar Puja. It is believed that during Puja or worshipping of any god, there might creep some thing wrong or any deficiency or a mistake. Aarti removes that deficiency and rectify the mistake and make it a prefect or complete Puja.
According to Skand Purana -
मन्त्रहीनं क्रियाहीनं यत पूजन हरे:
सर्वे सम्पूर्णं तामेति कृते नीराजने शिवे।
If the worship is performed without proper Mantra and without adopting proper process, Aarti takes the whole Puja to its perfection. In other words Aarti removes the deficiency of the Puja process and takes it to its completion or perfection.
How is Aarti performed/ The process of Aarti -
At the time of Aarti drums etc. are beaten, conch is blown and musical instruments are played. One, five, seven or more wicks soaked in Ghee are lighted.
The person who performs the Aarti stands before the idol of the deity and waves or rotates the lighted wicks four times at the feet of the deity, two times at the navel area, once at the face area  and seven times around the whole idol of the deity.