আমার বাংলাAmar Bangla

পূজা পদ্ধতি

Pujas, the way they should be done

Simple step-by-step guides for doing puja at home or with your local community, wherever you live.

দুর্গাপূজা

Durga Puja

Ashwin (Sep–Oct)

Five days that welcome Ma Durga home with her children, ending with Bijoya Dashami.

You will need

  • Bel leaves
  • 108 lotuses
  • Dhunuchi & dhuno
  • Shankha
  • Sindoor
  • Kola bou (banana plant)
  1. 1

    Mahalaya — dawn Chandipath and tarpan for ancestors, marking Devipaksha.

  2. 2

    Shashthi — Bodhon (awakening) of the goddess under a bel tree.

  3. 3

    Saptami — Kola Bou snan at dawn, then Pran Pratishtha.

  4. 4

    Ashtami — Pushpanjali after fasting; Sandhi Puja with 108 lamps and lotuses.

  5. 5

    Navami — Bhog, Homa and the last full day of worship.

  6. 6

    Dashami — Darpan Bisarjan, Sindoor Khela, Bijoya greetings and sweets.

লক্ষ্মীপূজা

Lakshmi Puja

Kojagari Purnima

Done at home on the full moon after Dashami, for prosperity and peace.

You will need

  • Rice paste for alpona
  • Ghot
  • Panchali book
  • Narkel naru
  • Conch shell
  1. 1

    Draw alpona with rice paste — tiny footprints walking into the house.

  2. 2

    Place the ghot (water pot) with mango leaves and a coconut.

  3. 3

    Offer khichuri, labra, narkel naru and fruits.

  4. 4

    Read the Lakshmi Panchali; stay awake — ‘Ko jagarti?’ who is awake?

সরস্বতী পূজা

Saraswati Puja

Basanta Panchami (Jan–Feb)

Students place their books before the goddess of learning — and wear basanti yellow.

You will need

  • Palash flowers
  • Kul
  • Yellow clothes
  • Dobat (inkpot) & reed pen
  1. 1

    Fast until anjali; don’t eat kul (plum) before the puja.

  2. 2

    Place books, pens and instruments at the goddess’s feet.

  3. 3

    Pushpanjali with palash flowers; Hate Khori for little ones.

  4. 4

    Khichuri bhog, and books are untouched until the next day.

কালীপূজা

Kali Puja

Kartik Amavasya

A night-long worship of Ma Kali on the darkest new moon, with lamps lit across homes.

You will need

  • Red jaba (hibiscus)
  • Pradip lamps
  • Choddo shaak
  • Mustard oil
  1. 1

    Light 14 lamps on Bhoot Chaturdashi and eat choddo shaak.

  2. 2

    Worship at midnight with red hibiscus garlands.

  3. 3

    Offer bhog; many families keep a vegetarian offering.