Daily worship is known as puja and for most Hindus is usually carried out in the home. A shrine richly decorated with pictures or statues (Murtis) of favourite gods is set aside for this purpose. Wealthier families sometimes set aside a whole room as a shrine, and worship there individually or as a family. Puja begins with the simplest but most important prayer (mantra) - the saying of the sacred word Om to make contact with the divine. This is followed by the recitation of other mantras from the scriptures and the offering of gifts such as sweets, money, fruits etc. to a particular god.
Worship is also carried out in the Temple (mandir) under the supervision of a Brahmin or a high caste priest. Although Hindus beleive that their God is everywhere, they also believe that the Temple is his special home. Only the priest is allowed to come close to the divine presence which 'resides' in the inner sanctuary of the building, in the Holy of Holies, known as the garbhagriha (womb-house).
Before worship begins, members of the congregation carry out elaborate rituals of purification, which may involve washing the feet, rinsing the mouth or preparing special food. The priest leads the worship by reading from the sacred texts and saying mantras. Small devotional lamps (divas) ar elit, and after worship, the people share the food that has been blessed and offered to the gods.
"LIGHTS ARE LIT IN HINDU HOUSEHOLDS TO GUIDE LAKSHMI, THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE, INTO THE HOME" from the Mahabharata
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