Daily Puja Essentials Checklist: Kapoor, Attar, Gulab Jal, Kalawa, Dhooni and More
Quick answer: A simple daily puja needs a diya with cotton wicks and ghee or oil, incense or dhooni, kapoor for aarti, fresh water or gulab jal, kumkum and rice, flowers, and kalawa for special days. Natural Bhimseni camphor is generally preferred over synthetic camphor tablets and is preferred for aarti.
This checklist is from Shreerudra, a pooja store in Roop Nagar, Delhi since 2000.
Daily puja checklist
Item | Use | Shop |
Bhimseni kapoor | Aarti, purifying the room | |
Cotton wicks | Ghee or oil diyas | |
Kalawa / mauli | Tying on wrist, kalash, sacred thread | |
Gulab jal | Sprinkling, cleaning idols, tilak | |
Sambrani dhooni | Fumigation on Tuesdays and Saturdays | |
Copper coins | Kalash and puja | |
Tally counter | Counting mantra rounds |
Attars for puja and personal use
Natural attars are oil-based perfumes without alcohol, so they are traditionally preferred for offering to deities and applying before prayer. We stock 8 ml bottles of Chandan, Champa, Ruh Bela, Lotus, Mukhallat and Shahi Darbar.
Chandan (sandalwood): cooling; offered to Shiva and Vishnu.
Champa and Bela: floral; offered to Devi.
Lotus: associated with Lakshmi.
Spiritual bath fragrances
A few drops of a spiritual bath fragrance in your bucket is a modern take on the traditional ritual bath (snan) before puja. Choose Sandal, Rose, Saffron or Shahi Darbar. Nilgiri (eucalyptus) oil can be used in a diffuser.
Keeping the home fresh and positive
Mop with a positive energy booster floor cleaner or the gomutra, gulab jal and salt floor cleaner, especially on Thursdays and before festivals.
Use a floral air freshener in the pooja room if you avoid smoke.
Burn dhooni at dusk to clear stale air.
How to set up a simple daily puja
Clean the altar and change the water in the kalash.
Light the diya and incense or dhooni.
Offer water, kumkum, rice and a flower to each deity.
Recite your mantra or prayer.
Perform aarti with kapoor and offer prasad.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bhimseni kapoor?
Bhimseni (Bhimseni karpur) is natural camphor crystallised from the camphor tree. It is purer than synthetic camphor tablets and is preferred for aarti and for keeping in rooms for its fragrance.
Is attar alcohol-free?
Traditional attars are oil-based and contain no alcohol, which is why they are used in worship.
When should kalawa be changed?
Many people change it on a Tuesday or Saturday, or after a major puja. Remove old kalawa respectfully and immerse it in water or place it under a tree.
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