Shodashopachara is a way of performing a Hindu daily puja to Hindu deities. This involves 16 steps of puja and is performed by some Hindus daily and by others only on special occasions. Some people perform Shodashopachara Puja once in a week, fortnight or month.
How To Perform Shodashopachara Puja?
- Avaahan – Welcoming the deity
- Asan – Seating of the deity
- Padya – Washing feet
- Arghya – Offering water to wash hands
- Achman – Offering water to sip and wash mouth
- Snan – Bathing of deity
- Vastra – Offering fresh clothes and decorations (the color depends on the deity like yellow for Vishnu, white for Shiva, red for Shakti etc)
- Changing Janai – Fresh scared thread
- Gandha – Offering aromatic substances
- Pushpa – Offering flowers (color of flowers varies)
- Dhoop – Burning incense
- Deep – Waving lights
- Naivedyam – Offering food (the food prepared varies from deity to deity)
- Tambool – Offering betel leaves, betel nuts, camphor etc
- Pradakshina – Prostrations before the deity and going around the deity
- Pushpanjali – Offering flowers and final prayers.