Worship/meditation

Worship at Home

Puja is a personal worship ritual performed at home, often in front of a shrine with images of deities.
Use of murtis, physical representations of deities, can vary with personal preference; they generally serve as focal points for worship.
Essentials of puja can include incense, flowers, food offerings and recitation of mantras. The act of offering is seen as a means of purifying and disciplining the mind.

The Mandir (temple) is a community gathering place for worship, learning and festivities.
Worship at the mandir involves darshan, the visual ‘beholding’ of the divine in murtis. It is a reciprocal act; worshippers see and are seen by the gods.
The act of pradakshina involves circumambulating the temple or deity as a sign of respect.
Worship may also involve aarti, a ritual wherein a camphor flame is waved in front of the deity while bells are rung and songs sung.

Meditation, or dhyana, is viewed as a means to union with the divine. It is seen as a way of transcending the self and the material world to experience the divine.
There are various forms of meditation in Hinduism, such as japa meditation (repetition of a mantra), concentrative meditation, and mindful meditation.
In Hindu philosophy, yoga isn’t just a physical exercise but a spiritual practise, often incorporating meditation, that leads to self-realisation and moksha (liberation).

Festivals, or utsava, typically involve communal worship, song, dance, food, and storytelling. They often honour specific deities or events from sacred texts.
Pilgrimage, tirtha-yatra, is another important aspect of Hindu worship. The journey itself is considered an act of devotion and purification. Popular sites include the Ganges River, Varanasi, and the char Dham.
Engaging in these acts of worship reinforce bonds within the Hindu community, affirms shared beliefs, and allows for the veneration of the divine in various forms.