Booking Pandits Online

How many of us have been disappointed when we haven’t been able to find appropriate Pujaris and Pandits when we really need them? How many times have our familiar Pandits said that they have already been booked for the event or occasion? You might have faced this situation quite a few times, especially during festive seasons; and it feels very disappointing. Then, we have to rush to find another Pandit. We ask our friends, relatives and neighbours if they know a good Pandit. We start making calls and pray that we get one soon. Many times we are stuck up because we have everything ready for a religious event or Puja, but no Pandit in hand. So, what do you do then?

It’s online Pandits to the rescue! Oh yes, you can look up for Pandits online. With the advent of e-age, tackling issues of booked Pandits has become easy. Finding a Pandit online when your own familiar Pandits have turned you down is like finding a hidden treasure. Finding a good Pandit for performing a puja is no difficult task anymore. Online Pandit booking has become very popular lately. So, join the league and hire a good Pandit online for important rituals to be performed on special occasions.

During peak seasons, Pujaris are very busy and booked already as they have lots of Pujas to be done every day. To overcome this, they either reduce the timing of the Puja to be performed or increase their rates. Therefore, you must be very sure while booking. You need to find Pujaris who do no compromise on this part and perform every Puja with utmost dedication so that your religious sentiments are not hurt, and you can gain immense benefits of the Puja conducted.

Why choose MakeMyPuja?

MakeMyPuja is a leading eCommerce portal that offers seamless online Pandit services. With MakeMyPuja, you are assured of getting a professional and experienced Pandit, timely service from the Pandit you book, no worries about Puja samagri, and all of this at an affordable price! You can get the best experience of Puja on your special event, may it be at home or office. So, what more can you ask for? If you are looking for a good Puja experience and a reliable Pandit, come and explore the team of qualified Pujaris at MakeMyPuja and enjoy a hassle-free booking. Any kind of Puja – festivals, personal events, company events, problem solving or custom – you can have all your requirements fulfilled. A long list of Pujas including Bhoomi Puja, Janamdin Puja, Dhanteras Puja, Laxmi Puja, Chandi Paath, Gauri Shankar Puja, Gayatri Havan, Gruh Pravesam, Janamashtami Puja, Maha Shivratri, Mangal Dosh Nivaran, Marriage Anniversary Puja, Mundan, Namkaran, New Business Puja, Rahu Ketu Shanti Puja and Satyanarayan Katha are offered under a single roof.

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Importance Of Prasad in Hinduism

Every Hindu temple in India has a custom of making a small offering of sweets, fruits or other food to the deity s a mark of devotion, after which the same is distributed among the devotees to consume. It is believed that once the deity has accepted a little of the offering, the remaining part becomes sacred and blessed. The offering is elevated in status, thus transforming the edible substance into a holy material, which is then consumed with faith by the devotees as ‘Prasad’. The offering to God and the receiving of Prasad in the Hindu religion has always been of high significance and considered very holy.

So, does God actually consume the offering and bless it? If so, how does he do it because the idol in practical cannot move? To answer these questions, we first need to understand the concept. God is the infinite ocean of divine consciousness that resides all around while also being within every human. So obviously, as the idol cannot directly consume the food, it is the divine consciousness that blesses the offering. The Hindus do not actually offer the food to the idol present in the temple; they offer it to the divine consciousness. Keeping the offering at the feet of the idol is only a physical practice, but the mind and the heart know that God is actually all around us.

It is important that the Prasad be ‘satvik’ so that its sanctity is maintained. It is believed that consumption of Prasad brings positivity within us. Moreover, distributing Prasad also instills the feeling of sharing with one and all around. Even if there is only little Prasad left, it teaches us how to share even the least among all. This is because it is believed that God does not want any of his devotees to leave the temple empty-handed.

After reading this blog, you may have been convinced with the importance of Prasad and the intention behind the concept. However, there are many people who always look for a logical reasoning behind every ritual and religion. For them, the concept of Prasad can simply be stated as a give-and-take relationship. Just like a farmer considers the crops he reaps as a gift received from Nature in return to what he had sown as seeds, even the devotees believe that offering food to God will help them receive blessings. They prepare and present the offering with lots of devotion, love, happiness and positivity, and wish to receive the same in the form of blessings. Thus, this ritual is a subtle give-and-take of energies between God and the devotees. Therefore, Prasad is not a mere tradition or ritual; it is a process where the person offering it makes a connection with the deity it is being offered to.

Any kind of Puja in Hinduism is incomplete without Prasad. Whenever you hire MakeMyPuja Pujaris for having any kind of Puja done at your home/office, all you have to arrange for is this pious satvik Prasad, and the rest will be arranged by the Pujaris themselves. You get a chance to prepare for the offering on your own so that you can arrange for it with complete devotion and joy, and can present the deity what you wish to offer. If you don’t know what to offer, you can offer fruits to God too. Often, mithai, peda, halwa, and kheer are offered as Prasad.

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What Is The Story Behind The Shivling?

Lord Shiva is the lord of ultimate spirituality for Hindus all over the world. The most popular way of worshipping Lord Shiva is seen to be in the form of the Shivling, a stone like shape that is black in colour, or at times dark grey. We have seen and may ourselves have worshipped Lord Shiva in his Linga form by offering him with water, milk, honey, ghee and many other types of offerings. But, do you know why Lord Shiva is seen and worshipped in this form? Do you how the Shivling came into existence and what’s the story behind it?'

Lord Shiva (also known as Mahesh) is one of the supreme Gods in the Trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh. And, the reason for the Linga structure of Lord Shiva is only because of the other two Gods of the Trinity – Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. As per the Shiv Purana, once Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu got into an argument over who of the two is superior. They tried to prove their supremacy over the other. When Lord Shiva learnt of this, he took over the form of a blazing fire pillar, and challenged both the Lords to find the beginning and end of the pillar.

Lord Brahma went to the skies to look for the pillar’s beginning, while Lord Vishnu went underground to look for the end. Even after searching for thousands of miles, they couldn’t find anything. But in his journey, Lord Brahma met a flower named Ketaki, and asked for her help to support him in a false claim that he had found the beginning of the pillar.

When he returned and declared this false statement, the fire pillar split open and Lord Shiva stepped out of it in his magnificence. This glorious sight had both Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu accept that Lord Shiva was the highest of all. Furious at Lord Brahma’s deceitfulness, Lord Shiva cursed him that he will never be prayed to ever. He also cursed Ketaki that she will never be used in any Puja. (Do you realize that there are only a few scarce number of Lord Brahma temples in the world? And also that the Ketaki flower is never used in any kind of Puja?)

Therefore, this fire pillar is worshipped in the form of the Linga of Lord Shiva. The Shivling is considered as the formless which radiates with all celestial energies. It is also believed that Lord Shiva revealed himself in the form of the Linga on the 14^th day of Krishna Paksha in the Falgun month of the Hindu calendar. This is why this day is considered auspicious and is celebrated as Mahashivratri every year by the Hindus. This day is celebrated with immense devotion, where devotees pray to Lord Shiva by offering belpatra and milk to the Shivling.

Lord Shiva is prayed to and worshipped by Hindus with great devotion throughout the year, with emphasis placed on every Monday. Equal devotion and prayers are offered to Goddess Parvati, his consort. In fact, no Shiv temple is seen without the idol or image of Goddess Parvati, as the two of them are considered to be the most supreme divine couple. If you are also looking for the same kind of bonding with your better half, you must pray to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati to bless you with the same. To maintain your relationships, prevent unnecessary tiffs in relationships, and protect your relations from evil energies, you must perform Gauri-Shankar Puja. To have the most appropriate Puja done while taking care of all rites and rituals, you must get in touch with MakeMyPuja to book their professional and experienced Pandits.

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Why Does Lord Ganesha Possess An Elephant Head

Hindu mythology believes to have 33 crore Gods and Goddesses! Different people and castes worship different deities. But, there is one amongst these millions who is always worshipped before others, and he is Lord Ganesha. He is considered to be the Lord of removing obstacles and bringing auspicious fortunes into the lives of his devotees. He is the Lord who is known by every Hindu and loved by all. The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with immense joy and enthusiasm not only in India, but by Hindus present all across the globe.

Lord Ganesha is always seen to be in his cute and cuddly form with an elephant head, a long trunk, two large ears, and a big round belly. He is seen riding a mouse, which is considered his ‘vaahan’, and is always seen with his favourite modak. While all the other attributes he possesses can be understood, the one unique element that cannot be empathized with is his elephant head. Why is he seen with a human body and an elephant head? Hindu mythology explains why Lord Ganesha bears an elephant head and why he is the first Lord worshipped before commencing any Puja.

The story behind Lord Ganesha’s elephant head

It was when Lord Shiva was away for meditation and his consort, Goddess Parvati, was left alone in Mount Kailash. While going to bathe, Goddess Parvati wanted someone to guard the door as Nandi was not at Mount Kailash. So, she scrubbed the dirt and oil of her skin and created a young human form figure, and breathed life into him. She asked him to guard the door and not let anyone in until she finished her bath.

In the meantime, Lord Shiva returned home and found this young child at the door, who stopped him from going in. Lord Shiva was surprised and reasoned with the child that he was Goddess Parvati’s husband and had every right to go within his home. However, the child, being very loyal to the Goddess, did not let Lord Shiva in, saying that he was only performing his duty. Furious with rage, Lord Shiva beheaded the boy with his trident, thus killing him instantly.

When Goddess Parvati learned of this, she was so enraged that she vowed to destroy the entire creation. Upon Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma trying to calm her down, she agreed to reconsider her plan on two conditions. Her first condition was that the boy should be brought back to life, and second being that he should be prayed forever before every other God. They agreed and Lord Shiva sent his clan to bring back the head of the first creature lying with his head facing North. His clan returned with the head of a young elephant, which was placed by Lord Shiva on the body of the boy, who was then brought back to life. He then announced the boy to be the leader of all Ganas (tribes and classes), which brought him the name ‘Ganpati’. Lord Brahma blessed him to be worshipped before commencing any Puja for removing obstacles and bringing luck.

This story thus depicts why Lord Ganesha has his elephant head and why he is the first God to be worshipped amongst all. This is why Lord Ganesha is prayed to at the beginning of every Puja. For any kind of festival, personal event, company event, problem solving and custom Pujas to be done, you can get in touch with MakeMyPuja Pandits to help you get the most appropriate Puja done, without failing to worship Lord Ganesha so that your Puja is done without any glitches and the objective of your Puja is accomplished fruitfully.

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Begin Your New Year With A Satyanarayan Katha

2016 is coming to an end, and 2017 is nearing. With the coming of a New Year, we always wish that it brings lots of joy, happiness and success for us that we haven’t seen in the past year. We also seek to have new joyous beginnings in the New Year. When the year’s end is nearing and we plan to start a business, buy a car, enter a new home, or anything that brings a new light into our lives, we attempt to begin it in the New Year. And, when we wish to begin new ventures, a majority of people believe in starting it with a Satyanarayan Katha.

This Katha is believed to be one of the most auspicious events of the Hindu calendar, and is performed before beginning any new task. It may be house warming, ring ceremony, marriage, new job, new business, or anything else – it all begins with a Satyanarayan Katha. This Puja has the boon to fulfill any wish made by the devotees who truly and wholeheartedly worships Lord Satyanarayan – the calmer avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Devotees perform this Puja to thank and pay gratitude to Lord Vishnu to light their lives with a new happiness. It can be conducted on any day before commencing a new beginning. However, the Satyanarayan Katha is generally performed on full moon days or Purnima (as called in the Hindu lunar calendar). The best months for this Puja to be conducted are Baisakha, Karthika, Shravana and Chaitra.

It is believed that when Narad Muni, the holy messenger of Heaven, visited the Earth, he found immense misery, epidemics, poverty and lust. He immediately reported all these incidents to Lord Vishnu, his Master. The Lord commanded Narad Muni to descend to Earth and teach humans to follow Satyanarayan Katha. He mentioned that whoever performed this Puja wholeheartedly with the right rituals will be honoured with eternal prosperity and happiness. This belief has led to Hindus performing this Puja on every new venture of theirs.

Whether you are going to have a new beginning soon or not, you can always have this Puja done. So, with the current year coming to an end and the New Year approaching soon, thank God for all that he has given you in the past and pray to him for more success, prosperity and happiness in the New Year by performing a Satyanarayan Katha. Get in touch with MakeMyPuja Pujaris and get your bookings done for 12^th January 2017, which is the first Purnima of the New Year. Start your New Year with positivity and have a promising year ahead.

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Celebrate Your Birthdays With MakeMyPuja Hereafter

Birthdays are one of the most awaited days of the year. Although it is a reason of joy and partying for children, but even adults are all smiles when the calendar turns up to the page of their birth month.

Different people have different ways of celebrating their birthday. Some want to make it the best day for their children, for which their celebrations begin right from sunrise up till midnight. Others plan up a party for their child at home with their friends invited over for cake-cutting and snacks or dinner. When it comes to adults, some celebrate by partying hard at the night club; others go for a movie followed by a meal with friends; while there are others who only want time with family. But, how many of us celebrate our birthday with God – the Lord who gave us the opportunity to have this day in our lives? Many of you would say you start your day by going to the temple and thanking God for the wonderful day he has brought into your life. But, is that all you can do?

Well, MakeMyPuja says there is a better way to spend time with God, thank him for the wonderful life he has given you, and seek his blessings on your special day. When you are born, your horoscope is generated by a Pandit after considering your date, time and place of birth. It is the stars in your horoscope that decide the rest of your life and fate. But, not all stars in your horoscope are in your favour. While there are a number of Pujas you can perform to get rid of the negative effects of the nakshatras in your horoscope, performing a Birthday Puja will help you thank God while also praying to him to remove negative hurdles from your life.

Make your birthday sacred and special with a Birthday Puja. Thank God for giving you the life you have. Seek blessings for physical well-being, peace, contentment, success and prosperity. A Birthday Puja brings in lots of benefits like removing negative hurdles from your life, bringing prosperity, physical and mental welfare, a fresh new start to life, and blessings for a longer life. This Puja begins with the Ganpati Sthapna, followed by Navagraha Sthapna, Kalash Sthapna, Deep Prajjawalit, Shodhashopchar Puja, and Aarti. One can also perform Satyanarayan Puja to offer gratitude to the great Lord Vishnu, who is the caretaker of the Universe and all its elements.

So, this New Year 2017, take a resolution to celebrate your birthday every year by devoting some time to God and performing a Birthday Puja. You can make it a practice for the birthdays of every member in your family to bring peace, success and well-being in your home.

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Get Your Child’s Mundan Done With MakeMyPuja

Hinduism has innumerous rituals, traditions and customs that are followed, starting right from the birth of a child. It begins with the ‘Namkaran’ ceremony of the child, where the child is named as per his horoscope made by the priest. Another very important ritual performed in the initial stages of childhood is the ‘Mundan’. This is an ancient ceremony followed by the Hindus where the hair from the child’s head is shaved off for the first time after birth. This ritual is performed for both boys and girls even today very religiously.

Why should we perform the Mundan ceremony?

According to Hindu scriptures, it is believed that a soul passes through 84 lakh yonis, before it acquires the human body. Every yoni has a certain influence on the current birth of the baby. This ritual is thus performed believing that doing so will have the child get rid of all the bad qualities and sins of the past lives, and it helps the child begin his or her life afresh. By shaving off the hair, the residue of the past lives is left in the past, and does not affect the current life. Thus, Mundan is a purification act performed to ensure that the baby is cleansed of all the unwanted and undesirable elements of the past births. Another belief is that the Mundan is done to get better hair growth in the future.

When should the Mundan be performed?

It is believed that the ritual can be performed in only an odd month and odd year. The 1^st, 3^rd, 5^th and 7^th years are considered perfect for the ritual. However, some people believe that it should be done either in the first year itself, and not later than that, while others wait for 5 years before having it done. It is the Pandit who decides the date on which the Puja for your child should be performed, in accordance with the position of the Nakshatras. You should consult MakeMyPuja Pandits to let you know the auspicious date and month for your child’s Mundan.

How is the Mundan ceremony performed?

This Puja can be performed either at home, or in a temple, or at the banks of a sacred river. The Pandit called for performing the ritual starts the Puja with a Havan, and then shaves off a part of the child’s hair while chanting some mantras. The rest of the hair is shaved off by the barber. The head is then shaved off with Gangajal, and the hair is offered to a deity or the River Ganga.

What are the benefits of the Mundan ceremony?

The Mundan ceremony has many religious benefits like removing unpleasant qualities that the baby might have had in his earlier births, shielding the child from negativity, and promising a good future for the child, along with improving hair growth. Some people also believe that this ceremony triggers the intellectual area of the child’s brain, which helps its better development.

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Importance and Benefits of Havan

In Hinduism, it is believed that the Universe is made of five elements – Earth, Water, Sky, Fire and Air. Since fire is considered as an element for purification, majority of Hindu rituals are considered incomplete without fire. The grandest form of fire used in rituals is the Havan (or Homa in Sanskrit), which is part of practically all Hindu sanskaars.

Havan is the ritual wherein Fire plays the primary role and is placed at the centre in a Havan Kund, which is generally made of bricks and sand. All the devotees sit around the kund and make offerings to the fire. The offering ingredients, known as Havan samagri, are made of a combination of 36 herbs. Other ingredients include ghee, insence sticks, camphor, and wood. The wood is either mango wood or sandalwood as these wood types burn easily, without any kind of disturbing smoke.

The most common types of Havan include Mrityunjay Havan, Navgraha Havan, Vaastu Havan, Ganesh Havan and Dhanwantri Havan. Hindus have a Havan performed on various occasions like Namkaran, wedding, shifting home/office, or to get rid of ill-health or negative effects of horoscope. A Havan has both spiritual and scientific benefits. While there are advantages like gaining peace of mind, ensuring good health, and converting negative energy into positive through Havan, there are scientific benefits too like purifying the atmosphere and preventing infectious diseases.

The ritual of Havan dates back to thousands of years. It has been read about in mythological stories where a Havan was conducted to shoo off the evil and bring in the good. At that time, Havans were a large occasion that age old rishis conducted, which were long and difficult to complete. Successfully completing a Havan without being disrupted by any obstacle was a courageous task. However, today’s Havans are only a miniature version of what was back then.

The energy of every space is unique. The health, working, productivity and prosperity are greatly influenced by the energy of the place where one resides. If you reside in a place that possesses a positive energy field, you are likely to experience happiness and peace of mind. Many people have a Havan conducted in their home for this purpose. People also approach MakeMyPuja to have a variety of Pujas and Havans done at their home or office. Whether it is a new home, new office, negative effects of the planetary stars in your horoscope, your child’s namkaran or mundan, you can get in touch with MakeMyPuja Pandits to have the perfect Havan done in the most appropriate way to please the deities so that they bless you.

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Have Your Child’s ‘Namkaran’ Done With MakeMyPuja

Namkaran Puja is one of the most important Pujas of Hinduism, which is the first Puja of a newborn child. ‘Naam’ meaning Name, and ‘Karan’ meaning To Imply, the word Namkaram means to decide the name of a newborn that has an effect on his life. This is a religious practice of naming a child and initiating him into Hinduism. This ritual is considered of prime importance to shape the character and upbringing of a child. It is an attempt to instill the child’s life with blessings so that he can live a happy and peaceful life, following the heredity of his ancestors.

The Namkaran Puja is performed on the 10^th or 12^th day after the baby is born as per the muhurat suggested by a Pandit. In case the ritual cannot be performed on these days, the family has to wait for the 101^st day or the baby’s first birthday to name their child. The ceremony is directed and lead by a Pandit where all the family members and relatives gather together for a joyous celebration and to welcome and bless the new member of the house. It can be carried out either at a temple or even at home, as a small private affair. The Pandit prays to Lord Ganesh to bestow upon the child both happiness and a long life. During the ceremony, he also draws out the child’s horoscope that depicts all the positive and negative aspects of the child’s life. At the end of the ceremony, the child is named with one of the initials that is favourable to his horoscope.

However, there are certain guidelines provided by the Vedas and Sutras that need to be followed while naming a child. Firstly, the name should be positive, easy to pronounce and should sound pleasant. It should indicate the sex of the child and signify the stature and social standing of the family. Another important aspect is that it should contain the specific number of vowels and letters as per the sex of the child. Moreover, the Pandit who leads the ceremony draws up a horoscope of the child and gives away the initials to be used for the child’s name that are favourable as per his/her nakshatra. It is a must that you use any of those initials to name your child if you want the name to prove successful for him/her for his entire life.

Performing a Namkaran Puja as per the rituals, and abiding by the religious rules of the Vedas, will bring lots of benefits into the child’s life. It increases the auspiciousness of the name selected for the child, and brings good luck, fortune and success into his life, by nullifying any kind of negative effects.

So, if you are expecting a baby soon, make sure to get in touch with MakeMyPuja Pandits well in advance so that you don't have to rush to find a priest at the last moment. Conduct the Namkaran Puja with 100% purity and involvement to bring good fortune to the baby and make the little one’s life blessed!

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Get Your Car Puja Done With MakeMyPuja

How happy and blessed do we all feel when we get some new appliance, gadget or an instrument into our home? And, bringing a car home seems to be a big achievement for small and middle class families. Whether it is our first car or one to be added in our already existing car series, the happiness is no lesser. Therefore, we want our new car to be blessed by the Lord and see to it that it functions well and is kept away from any kind of negative influence. This is why we perform the Car Puja.

Car Puja or Vaahan Puja is a common Hindu practice. Hindus are likely to worship any new tool or instrument before they start using it; it could be anything from vehicles, home appliances, televisions, musical instruments to even mobiles. This is because Hinduism believes that God is everywhere – even in lifeless objects! And, honouring God in a special way is an important facet of the Hindu culture. This is why God is recognized and treated in a vehicle in the same way as he would be in a temple.

Car Puja is a blessing or invocation of God into your new vehicle. After being worshipped, it is believed that the Lord will watch over it to ascertain that its functionalities are secure, and the driver and passengers are secured within. This puja is done for a variety of different purposes – to ensure that the car comes in harmony with the owners, to show gratitude to God, to prevent the vehicle from any mishaps in the future, and to safeguard the driver against accidents.

You can perform the Car Puja whenever you buy a new car. However, the best times of the year include festivals like Navratri, Dhanteras, Akshaya Tritiya, Gudi Padwa, Ganesh Chaturthi and Bhai-Dooj, as these occasions are considered to be auspicious to buy a car. Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganesh are worshipped and prayed to during this puja. Mantras are chanted; a swastika symbol is made by the pujari with kumkum and haldi, and the car is blessed. Some people perform an aarti while other chant mantras and shlokas like the Om Vishnu and Om Shree Ganeshaya Namaha mantras. 

Generally, a coconut is broken by the right front tire of the car to give it an auspicious start.

So, get an appropriate Car Puja done by MakeMyPuja Pujaris, install a small Ganesh idol on your car’s dashboard, and start away a happy journey with your automobile with the blessings of Lord Ganesha!

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Satyanarayan Katha With MakeMyPuja

Satyanarayan combines two words ‘Satya’ and ‘Narayan’ meaning Truth and Lord Vishnu respectively. This is why the name for the Puja that worships Lord Vishnu to appease him and gain his blessings is Satyanarayan Katha. Lord Vishnu is the caretaker of the Universe and all its elements, and Satyanarayan is his calm and generous avatar; thus this Puja is done to appease him so that he helps overcome all sorts of unfavourable situations. This Puja is done with lots of faith, joy and merriment.

When is Satyanarayan Katha performed?

For every successful phase in life like buying a home, buying a vehicle, successfully completing a phase of education, starting a new business, getting a new job, or anything else, the Satyanarayan Katha is performed to offer gratitude to the Lord and because it is believed to bring in good luck and fortune. Other than these special occasions, one can also perform this Puja to maintain peace, harmony, joy and prosperity in one’s life. So, whether you have a particular goal in life or not, you can have this Puja done for general well-being and prosperity, and to ward off any sort of evil or ill-effects of bad karma. And, what’s more? This also becomes a reason for gathering of friends and family, who together sing the praises of the Lord.

Which is the best ‘muhurat’ for performing Satyanarayan Katha?

As mentioned above, there is no specific day or date assigned for the Satyanarayan Katha; it can be performed whenever a happy phase comes into your life. However, it is better to get in touch with a Pandit and ask him for an auspicious date that falls in the near future. According to the Hindu calendar, there are many auspicious days that are considered as good muhurats by default. These include the full moon day of every month, Ekadashi of every month, Sankranti, and days of solar eclipse. The most auspicious months are Kartik and Vaishakha. So, if your goal is achieved near any of these good days, make sure you utilize their benefits and hire MakeMyPuja Panditjis to help you perform the Satyanarayan Katha in the most appropriate and constructive way.

What is the story behind Satyanarayan Katha?

We know when a Satyanarayan Katha can be performed and the good muhurats for the most positive effects. But, what we don’t know yet is why this Katha is believed to be so fruitful. The story of Narad Muni and Lord Vishnu, as per the Hindu mythology, depicts the fact that offering prayers to Lord Satyanarayan can end all kinds of sufferings. It was once when Narad Muni visited the Earth and saw people suffering from various problems that were brought upon them by their own bad karmas. When he shares this with Lord Vishnu, the Lord tells him that anyone who performs Satyanarayan Katha will be able to fulfill his desires and attain salvation after death. Ever since, this Puja has been performed with faith and devotion.

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Why Must You Do A Bhoomi Puja Before Construction?

As we all know that Hinduism believes in five important sacred elements, namely Agni, Jal, Akash, Vaayu and Prithvi. Prithvi, also known as Bhoomi, refers to the Mother Earth. We personify the Earth as our Mother, which is why we worship it like any other Goddess. This makes it evident why Indians believe in performing ‘Bhoomi Puja’ before starting any sort of construction on the land they acquire, even if that means building only a wall around the plot!

Indians believe that it is important to worship the land on which the construction is to take place before starting to build anything over it. This is to seek forgiveness and permission of Mother Earth as the construction will be causing disturbance and disruption to her natural state, and also the habitat of innumerable tiny creatures living on the land. It is also done to seek her blessings ensuring the safety of those who will be residing within the structure, as the site may be a living space of disembodied spirits and ghosts. In fact, even farmers in India do a Bhoomi Puja before they start tilling the land.

The Bhoomi Puja is done strictly on the norms of the Vaastu Shastra, which is the ancient Indian science of structures and architecture that depicts the layout, measurements, directions and geometry of a space. This puja brings good fortune and luck to the structure to be built by eliminating all sorts of Vaastu Dosh that may be present. The puja involves a series of rituals including Ganpati Sthapana, Bhoomi Pujan, Sankalp, Navgraha Shanti Pooja and finally the Havan.

Performing the Bhoomi Puja in the right manner can appease the right energy and natural parts encompassing the site. Thus, for any kind of construction you are about to begin, you must make sure to hire professional MakeMyPuja Pujaris to help you have an appropriate Bhoomi Puja done on your piece of land. Although when you get in touch with the priests, they will let you know the right date and time to have the puja done, yet you must know the general days and months that are counted auspicious/inauspicious for the ceremony. As per the Hindu calendar, the months of Shravan, Kartik, Margshirsh and Paush are the best times, while the Adhik Maas, Zero month and Lunar month must be avoided. Also, any kind of mourning period like the Shraadh Paksh should be avoided.

Decide on which month you would like to have the puja performed in and contact us immediately to book our experienced Pandits.

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The Importance Of Griha Pravesh Puja

Since the past few months have not been auspicious to shift into a new home, and the doors to all good muhurats for the same have opened since the beginning of this month, it seems like it is the right time to speak about the Griha Pravesh Puja.

Buying a house is one of the most significant and happiest moments in one’s life. A huge amount of one’s hard earned money goes into buying a house; and you dream of having a fresh new start of life full of peace, love and happiness when you think of shifting to a new abode. To ensure that all of this comes your way, you must look for a good ‘muhurat’ to start off with this new space.

After 2^nd of April this year, there has been no auspicious day as per the Hindu calendar to shift into a new home. But after a wait of 7 long months, 2^nd November has opened the doors to a long list of new dates that are auspicious for moving in. But before you do so, you must understand the importance of Griha Pravesh Puja and why it is done so that you can be sure to have this puja done in your home too by experienced MakeMyPuja Pandits before you shift.

Known by other names like Vaastu Puja or house warming ceremony, it is performed on a specific day of the Hindu calendar – the month, date and time of which is decided by experts on the basis of the Sun’s position. It is believed that a new acquisition is subject to evil forces. To safeguard a home and its inhabitants against such forces, certain rituals are required to be performed. It is here that the Griha Pravesh Puja revives your family’s safety and prosperity within the new home.

The Griha Pravesh Puja requires lots of procedures to be followed for proper invocation of the home. The two main aspects of this Puja are – Vaastu Puja that is performed outside the house before the actual entry, and Vaastu Shanti that involves the ‘Havan; that eliminates all kinds of negative planetary vibrations and helps to create a peaceful environment. Other rituals like Ganpati Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Satyanarayan Puja may or may not be performed.

This puja also involves the usage of lots of items to be arranged by you like incense sticks, camphor, jaggery, ghee, sandalwood sticks and powder, rice grains, dhoop, vermillion, sugarcane sticks and much more. However, if you hire the services of MakeMyPuja Pujaris, you can be saved the time and hassles of arranging for all of this because the Pujaris will take care of bringing along these items with them.

Whenever you plan a Griha Pravesh, remember that it is strictly recommended to sleep inside the new house on the night when this Puja is performed. Additionally, if you are expecting a child in the family or a family member has recently expired, you must not perform this Puja.

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Why Are Hindu Gods Associated With Specific Days Of The Week

Worship is the act of surrendering one’s soul to the Supreme Being – God. Different Gods and deities in Hinduism are believed to bless their devotees with different forms of goodness like peace, health, wealth, prosperity, etc. Also, with so many deities being worshipped in Hinduism, different Gods are associated with different days of the week. There are some that can be worshipped every day, while there are others who are believed to be even more pleased when worshipped on the day that best defines them. In this blog, we will speak about the four important Gods – Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman, Lord Shani and Sun God – who are worshipped on specific days of the week to attain blessings.

Why is Lord Shiva worshipped on Monday?

Lord Shiva is the ‘Mahesh’ of the Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh trilogy, who is recognized as the Destroyer with his energy and power. He is considered to be one of the chief deities in Hinduism and is crowned as ‘Devon Ke Dev – Mahadev’. He represents truth, power, reform and winning over difficult and impossible situations. While worshipping Lord Shiva, there is no need of any image of him; he is worshipped in his Shivling form that represents the entire universe.

Hindu spinsters generally fast for 16 Mondays to impress Lord Shiva and request for an ideal husband. This is because Monday or Somvaar is broken down into Sa-Uma-Vaar, meaning the day of He with his Uma, where HE is Lord Shiva and UMA is his wife – Goddess Parvati. This is why worshipping him on Monday is considered auspicious. In fact, it is also believed in Hindu mythology that Maa Sita performed Gauri Shankar Puja in order to have a husband like Lord Rama. The Gauri Shankar Puja is a significant ceremony for eliminating all worries about your married life. If you are finding difficulties in finding a partner or having issues in your married life, you must perform Gauri Shankar Puja under the guidance of MakeMyPuja Pujaris to be rightly blessed by Mahadev and Maa Parvati.

Another reason why Lord Shiva is worshipped on Monday is because he adorns the Moon on his jataa. As he is known for his rage and wrath, and the Moon represents coolness, it is believed that worshipping him on Mondays is the most logical, as the Moon represents Monday. If you selflessly and wholeheartedly worship Lord Shiva on Monday, you can be blessed with health, auspiciousness, peace and Moksha.

Why are Lord Hanuman and Shanidev worshipped on Saturdays?

Lord Hanuman can be worshipped every day to enjoy a pious life and be relieved from troubles. However, Saturday has a specific significance. The logic of worshipping Lord Hanuman on Saturday goes back to the Ramayana period. Ravana, the Mighty, defated all the Devtas of heaven and imprisoned the nine planets that rule a person’s fate. He stifled all the planets under his leg. This is when Shanidev cast his drishti on Ravana that resulted in his horoscope going for a toss. Ravana imprisoned Shanidev to take revenge at an appropriate time. Hanuman arrived at Lanka and rescued Shanidev, who took refuge on Hanuman’s head and was safely rescued. Out of gratitude, Lord Shani promised that he would never affect Hanuman and his descendants. Therefore, people worship Hanuman on Saturday with the belief that Shani dosh will not affect them.

Another occasion was when Shanidev requested Hanuman to apply some oil on his wounds after being badly injured. Hanuman embalmed his wounds with oil and the pain disappeared. This is why it is believed that pouring oil on Lord Shani every Saturday defeats evils and brings good luck. Thus, both Lord Shani and Hanuman are worshipped on Saturdays.

Why is Sun God worshipped on Sundays?

Lord Surya has a special significance in every Hindu’s life as he is the center of the nine planets. Hindus worship Lord Surya on Sunday to improve their horoscope and soothe the disturbed planets. Surya Dev is the source of light, which has 7 colours in its spectrum. The colour white represents the source of light and also represents Sunday. This is why worshipping Lord Surya on Sunday morning ensures health, wealth and prosperity.

Make sure to worship the right deity on the right day of the week to soothe your planets. Also, for any other Pujas related to your horoscope like Mangal Dosh Nivaran and Rahu-Ketu Shanti Puja, you can rely on MakeMyPuja Pandits to help you out of these doshas.

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Treating Your ‘Grahs’ Before Your Wedding

When you are getting married, you are entering into a new phase of life. Leaving all your old goods and bads behind, you bind with a new person, a new family, a new relationship. In this new life, you are expecting and wishing for love, happiness and fortune in every aspect. Although it is your behaviour and your ways of treating the new family that will help you gain love and respect, but getting happiness is also a matter of luck. Whether you believe it or not, your luck plays a very important role in life. And this luck depends on the nine planets that are depicted in your horoscope, known as the ‘Navgrahas’.

This is the reason people perform the Grah Shanti Puja before the wedding which involves the families seeking peace during the wedding festivities and peace in the marital life of the soon-to- be weds. The Grah Shanti Puja denotes ‘Grah’ meaning house and ‘Shanti’ meaning peace; thus peace of the house. Every ritual that is conducted before, during or after the wedding ceremony has some or the other significance. The significance of the Grah Shanti Puja is the Navgraha Puja.

It is believed that the stars, planets and constellations have great influence over our lives. This puja is performed only to make sure that good luck and fortune become part of the lives of those who are soon to be bonded together for a lifetime. Both the homes of the bride and groom are seen to perform this puja. This is one way of beginning the festivities officially with the blessings of God. It is important that all the Gods and Goddesses attend the wedding to bless the couple. Thus, they are invited in this puja to give the festivity an auspicious start. Also, the ancestors and forefathers are invited. The negative influences of our grahas are eliminated with this Graha Shanti Puja through a Havan or Yagna. Ahuti is offered by the families to pray to the Navgrahas. Different mantras are chanted by the priest for different grahas.

Apart from this, every individual has some or the other individual negative star in his horoscope that works harmfully in his/her life. The most common unconstructive grahas seen in a horoscope are Rahu, Ketu and Magal. These grahas if not appeased may cause disharmony between the couple. This is why people make sure to take every measure to pacify the grahas that are on the negative side in the bride or groom’s horoscope before they are married. If you are looking for a Rahu-Ketu Shanti Puja or Mangal Nivaran Dosh Puja before getting married, you must get in touch with professional Pandits to help you perform the most appropriate rituals to pacify those stars.

Praying to Goddess Durga with the correct rituals can ward off all dangers, evils and inauspicious omens around you so that things can stay in control and not become chaotic. Performing the right Yagna can help you with a positive effect for 1015 years or more. For Mangal Dosh, we need the blessings of Lord Ganesh, Hanuman, Kartikeya and Goddess Gauri. Removing the Mangal Dosh will help you get rid of problems in marital life, problems in understanding the partner and health problems. However, you don’t need to worry about the procedures and rituals because MakeMyPuja will take care of all of that.

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What Are The Latest Trending Wedding Themes

The marriage season has begun in full swing after Diwali. Those who have their weddings in the end of 2016 already have all their things planned – venue, decorations, caterers, bands, etc. And those who still have a few months left are busy running around to get hold of all these arrangements. If you belong to the second category, you may as well be looking for presenting your wedding in the most beautiful way so that it becomes the most talked about subject between your invites. One thing that is sure to grab the attention of your guests is the way you have your venue decorated. People are spending fortunes on having a gigantic themed wedding because every year weddings are demanding more and more innovation and freshness. However, it is important that you decide on your budget before getting into something like this. To help you arrange for a great themed wedding, here are some of the latest trends for you to choose from. Take a look and see what you can have falling within your budget.

Royal Mughals

If you belong to the family of wealth and fortunes, you definitely want to make your wedding a royal one. Choose from the innumerous forts and palaces spread across the country to fix up your venue, and ask the wedding planner to take you back to the Indian Sovereign times. Every element of your wedding will need to have a royal touch – the décor, the fabrics used, the dresses, the food – everything. One era you could choose is those of the Mughals. Use less colourful yet vibrant hues, Banarasi fabrics for all the fabrication, durbar shaped tents, and vintage palanquins. Apparently, the royalty theme is definitely going to be a grand affair that will have you shedding off a massive amount from your wallet.

Traditional Rajasthani

Want to go completely traditional? There can be nothing better than a Rajasthani theme then! Your wedding is going to be all about colours, dhols, umbrellas, pinwheels and puppets. Opt for the Rajputana era and have an exclusive Rajwada theme. Colourful rangolis, traditional bandhanis, beautifully coloured pots, huge jhulas, folk singers and ghoomar dancers is what will best describe this theme. And, don’t forget the traditional dal baati churma when it comes to deciding on the menu. Make it a completely loud, traditional and royal affair that is going to be much lighter on your pocket as compared to the royalty theme.

Go Vintage!

Want to roll back into the vintage times? This is going to include lots of pale colours, antique mirrors, pearls, laces and candles. You can go all Marie Antoinette by hanging beautiful bird cages, crystals, chandeliers, French desserts and huge florals. Have all your furniture and boxes of wood to add to the Vintage element.

Indoor Garden

Are you a Nature lover? You are in for this theme then! When you wish to have an outdoor venue, but for some reason cannot, don't get depressed. You can add some instant freshness to a venue with no natural beauty by having an indoor garden theme. Have the walls covered in green, decorate the venue with green veils, and have large green trees placed around. Add trellises and lots of colourful flowers for a complete garden look.

Colour scheme

If you aren’t from a very well-off family, you can simply choose a colour palette and have your venue decorated in the simplest yet most attractive ways instead of choosing a particular theme. This will help you have lots of variations depending on your budget. The two latest trends seen in this category are soft pastels and black-and-gold. Soft pastels are seen to be one of the favourites. May it be happy blues or baby pinks or lavenders, pastels define elegance, romance and grace. On the more regal side comes the option of black and gold that suggests glamour.

Choose the theme that touches your heart the most and get set to have one of the most beautifully themed weddings! But remember, whatever you do, you can’t have the perfect wedlock without the correct rituals. You need the right professionals in the industry to carry out every rite and ritual of your wedding with utmost care and perfection. In fact, not only for the wedding, but for every kind of Puja you perform, you need to have the correct rituals to be followed. This is where you can rely on MakeMyPuja Pandits who are experienced and professional, and never compromise on the values of the rituals no matter what.

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How Have Hindu Wedding Traditions Been Modified?

When your parents and grandparents were married, the face of Hindu weddings was completely different. In those times, a wedding was a grand affair of 7 to 8 days where every member of both the families would be present to bless the couple. A variety of traditions would be seen to be followed on both the girl’s and boy’s side. A wedding was considered a joyous union of two families.

But now, times have changed. In fact, even when you got married a few years ago, traditions had been modernized. Instead of a long 8 day affair where every ritual was practiced rigidly with minute details, wedding has now been cut down to a one or two day function involving engagement, haldi ceremony and the wedding. With modernization, there are many important rituals that have been left out. Moreover, those practices that are performed today are also being cut short. For example, the sacred seven vows used to be a prolonged process, which is now completed in only a matter of few minutes! Furthermore, instead of following the customs of Samdhi Milap, Var Nikasi and Katha Vachan, people are now adopting more westernized traditions like pre-wedding cocktail parties, DJ parties and dance performances.

But, however modernized our customs become, one thing is for sure – the ‘pag phere’ or the seven vows of marriage cannot be eliminated as they stand to be an important part of a Hindu wedding. These seven vows create a deep bond between the bride and groom for life as these are the seven promises both of them make to each other to lead a happy and prosperous life together.

·        First vow – The bride and groom promise to care for and support each other throughout their lifetime.

·        Second vow – They promise to be one in mental, physical and spiritual strength, no matter what the circumstances.

·        Third vow – In case of every situation of joy and sorrow, they promise to share and be by each other’s side every time.

·        Fourth vow – They promise to attain happiness and harmony through mutual trust and love to enjoy a life of joy and togetherness.

·        Fifth vow – The bride and groom promise to be responsible parents to raise children of value.

·        Sixth vow – They promise to enjoy a balanced and harmonious life by strengthening and maintaining all family relationships.

·        Seventh vow – They pledge that they will always lead a life of complete companionship, unity, loyalty, love and understanding.

But then, why do we see so many separations – so many divorces? Why can’t we abide by all these promises we make to each other while getting married? Is this because we have eliminated all the rigid procedures and customs from our weddings? Is it because we don’t take the traditions, rites and rituals seriously, and are more concerned about getting done with the wedding functions as soon as possible? Could be possible! But don’t worry. If you have also been a victim of such an approach during your wedding, MakeMyPuja Pandits will help you with a solution. You can have an Uma Maheshwari Puja or Swayamvara Parvathi Puja done on your wedding anniversary, where you can pray to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati to bless you such that the magic of your wedding day is recreated and you can regain peace, harmony, happiness and success in your most important relationship with your spouse. So, this wedding anniversary, don’t forget to make your bookings!

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BhaiDooj – The Brother And Sister Bond

Diwali is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Hindus all across the globe, marking the victory of good over evil, and the return of Lord Rama along with his wife and brother after a 14 yearexile. Hindus celebrate this festival for five days at a stretch, wherein they clean their homes, wear new clothes, exchange gif5s and sweets, burst crackers, light diyas, and pray. For a perfect Diwali puja, you can get in touch wth MakeMyPuja pandits who can help you carry out the puja with complete dedication and the correct rituals.

Diwali starts with Dhanteras, where Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped to seek her blessings in the form of success and wealth all the year round. The five day festivities end with Bhai Dooj, which is the day of brother-sister bonding. This day is also known as BhauBeej, BhaiTika and BhaiPhota. This is the day when sisters fast for their beloved brothers and pray for their success. Brothers are invited for lunch, where all their favourite delicacies are prepared. When the brother arrives, he is welcomed by applying a vermillion mark on his forehead, followed by an aarti. This day is celebrated ust ike Rakshabandhan, where the sisters pray ad give blessings to their brothers for a longand successful life, and the brotherspromise their sisters to protect them in all situations for the entire life. However, unlike Rakshabandhan, the sisters on Bhai Dooj present gifts to their brothers, rather than receiving gifts from them.

There are many stories related to the importance and celebration of Bhai Dooj.

·        One story is about a family living in a village comprising of parents, a younger brother and an elder sister. After tye sister gets married, she is unable to visit her family due to tye dense forest that separated both the villages. One day, the brother decides t walk through the dense forest, fighting all the dangers that came his way, only to meet his sister. He faced poisonous snakes, tigers and dangerous mountains on his way, and somehow reached his sister's home, where he was warmly welcomed and taken care of.

·        Another story is of Lord Krishna who visited his sister Subhadra after killing the demon Narakasur. He was welcomed with lots of affectionwith lamps, flowers, sweets, and by applying a tika on his forehead.

·        The third legend is about the bonding between the twins - Yama and Yamuna. After years of staying away from each other, Yama decided to meet Yamuna, who was delighted to hear about this news. She prepared a grand feast for her brother to honour him. She applied tilak on his forehead, garlanded him and prayed for him.

Whatever the story may be, one thing is for sure that Bhai Dooj is celebrated as the bond between brothers and sisters. This Bhai Dooj, make sure to share your love with your brother/sister, no matter where you may be, and strengthen the bond even more.

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Importance Of Laxmi Puja On Diwali

Deepawali is a five-day long festival, out of which the third day is considered as Diwali when diyas are lit around homes, fireworks and crackers are burst, and people adorned in new clothing visit their loved ones and exchange gifts and sweets. This is also the day when people worship Goddess Laxmi by having a Laxmi Puja in their home.

Diwali falls on the fifteenth day of the Kartik month, which is the day of ‘Amawasya’. It is considered the most auspicious day of the year for Hindus. This is because as per Hindu belief, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, from 14 years of exile. Another mythology is that Diwali was the day when Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi got married, which is why Goddess Laxmi is worshipped on this day.

The Laxmi Puja begins with worshipping Lord Ganesha – the remover of obstacles. Then Goddess Laxmi is worshipped in her three forms – Mahalaxmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity), Mahasaraswati (Goddess of knowledge), and Mahakali. Kubera, the treasurer of Gods is also worshipped on this day. Along with the idols, people also place gold and silver coins and money in the puja. The Laxmi Puja comprises of offering haldi, kumkum, abeer, gulal, ittar, flowers and prasad to the idols and singing aarti followed by lighting candles and diyas around the home to remove all sort of darkness and bring in light.

These lamps and candles are lit in honour of the sacred memories of those great men who brightened the lives of millions of their fellow beings. These great men were –

·        Lord Shri Krishna – who taught Arjun the lessons of the Bhagwad Geeta on the battleground of Kurukshetra, and left his body.

·        Lord Mahavir – the founder of Jainism, who also attained nirvana on this auspicious day.

·        Swami Dayanand Saraswati – the founder of Arya Samaj in 1875 in Mumbai, who merged with divinity on this day after freeing his soul from his body through Yogic powers.

·        Swami Ramtirth – the ‘Ram Badhshah’ of millions of Indians, who was born on this day as well as took to sanyas and samaadhi on this day too.

So from this year onwards, make sure you light lamps around your home while remembering to pay reverence to these four great men without fail. To worship Goddess Laxmi on this day so that she showers you with great success and prosperity, make sure you book MakeMyPuja Pandits to help you carry out the Laxmi Puja with perfection so that every tiny aspect of the Puja is taken care of.

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