The auspicious festival of Durga Puja 2020 is here. While for Navratri, it is day six, it is the first day of pujo. Maha Sasthi pujo is performed in all the pandals today, to mark the beginning of Durga Puja. The first ritual of Bodhon or the invocation ceremony of Maa Durga has happened this morning. With the sound of dhak (drums), and shankha dhwani (conch), Maa Durga is welcomed with silent but full pujo spirit. The pandemic has indeed dampened the festival, but not the festive spirit. In West Bengal, Assam, and other places where Durga Puja is hugely celebrated, many pandal organisations have arranged for live darshans online so that devotees can mark the festival home. At the same time, some are opting to worship Maa Durga at home. So, how to do Pujo at home? In this article, we bring you Puja vidhi, rituals, muhurat and traditions to follow and celebrate Durga Puja in your home.

How to Do Durga Puja at Home?

  • The first step would be to deep clean the whole house. Move around furniture, making sure that you get all the nooks and corners.

  • Go creative and decorate your puja room with flowers and regional accents like mango leaves. Get a Maa Durga idol, or place the one you already have at the centre of your prayer space.

  • The items you will need to do Pujo at home are: picture or idol of Maa Durga, clay pot with soil, barely seeds and water, new red cloth, coconut, betel nuts, mango stalk with five leaves, flowers, coins, incense sticks, camphor and diyas or candles, raw rice, ghee puja thali, sindoor, fruits, and sweets for prasad.

  • Select some Puja festive music to float through the air all day, once the pujo is done.

Durga Puja Muhurat, Vidhi and Rituals

  • Place Maa Durga on a raised stool or chowki at the centre of your worshipping space.

  • Decorate Goddess Durga with flowers and place the puja items around the altar already prepared.

  • Now place the clay pot in front of Maa Durga with soil, barley seeds, betel nuts, coin and put the mango stalk with five leaves on it.

  • Place the coconut on top of the mango leaves and cover it with red cloth.

  • Arrange sweets and fruits on a plate and also keep a glass of water, to keep in front of the deity.

  • Light diyas, incense sticks and dhunuchi.

  • You can also draw Alpana patterns in front of Goddess Durga.

  • Depending on the muhurat for each day of Durga Puja, chant mantras, pray and complete the puja with Maha aarti, following the sound of shankha.

These are the few steps you can follow to worship Maa Durga at home. The pandemic has changed the pujo season, and people are opting new ways to celebrate the occasion. We hope you are enjoying Durga Puja at home and following all the needed guidelines to stay safe.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 22, 2020 02:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).