Exploring the Sacred Puja Ceremonies Before and After Marriage
List of Puja Before Marriage:
Ganesh Puja: This is typically the first puja performed before any significant event, including weddings. Lord Ganesh is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the harbinger of prosperity. Ganesh Puja is performed to seek his blessings for a smooth and successful wedding ceremony.
Navagraha Puja: Navagraha Puja is the worship of the nine celestial bodies or planets in Hindu astrology. It is conducted to appease the planetary deities and seek their blessings for harmony, prosperity, and a blissful married life.
Vastu Puja: Vastu Puja involves the worship of Vastu Purusha, the deity of directions and the presiding deity of a house. It is performed to ensure auspiciousness and harmony in the matrimonial home.
Mangal Dosha Puja: For individuals with Mangal Dosha in their horoscope, a specific puja is conducted to mitigate the adverse effects of this planetary alignment. Mangal Dosha Puja is performed to ensure a harmonious and blissful married life.
Kanya Puja: Kanya Puja, also known as Kanjak Puja or Kumari Puja, involves worshipping young girls as manifestations of the divine feminine energy. It is performed to invoke blessings for marital happiness, fertility, and prosperity.
List of Puja After Marriage:
Griha Pravesh Puja: Griha Pravesh Puja is conducted when the newlywed couple enters their matrimonial home for the first time. It is performed to purify the house and invoke blessings for prosperity, happiness, and harmony in their new life together.
Satyanarayan Puja: Satyanarayan Puja is a ritualistic worship of Lord Vishnu, primarily performed to seek his blessings for prosperity, longevity, and familial well-being. It is often conducted shortly after marriage to invoke divine blessings for a blessed and prosperous married life.
Havan (Homam) Puja: Havan or Homam is a fire ritual where offerings such as ghee, grains, and herbs are made into the sacred fire while chanting Vedic mantras. It is performed to purify the surroundings, ward off negative energies, and invoke divine blessings for the couple's well-being and happiness.
Saptapadi: Saptapadi, also known as the Seven Steps or Seven Vows, is a significant ritual performed during the wedding ceremony itself. However, some couples may choose to reenact the Saptapadi after the wedding as a symbolic gesture of reaffirming their marital vows and commitment to each other.
Durga Puja (Navratri): If the wedding coincides with the Navratri festival, Durga Puja may be performed post-marriage to seek the blessings of Goddess Durga for strength, protection, and marital bliss.
These are just a few examples of the puja ceremonies conducted before and after marriage in Hindu tradition. The specific rituals may vary based on regional customs, family traditions, and personal beliefs.
