Pooja guides · Saturday, 12 September 2026 · 5 min read
Before the pooja
Confirm the date and time with your Pandit. Purnima is popular, but any auspicious day works for a family occasion.
Clean the pooja area and place a chowki (a low platform) facing east or north. Spread a clean cloth over it.
Items you will need
Collect these items a day ahead: Satyanarayan image or idol, kalash with mango leaves and coconut, banana leaves or a banana plant for decoration, panchamrit ingredients (milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar), tulsi leaves and flowers, roli, moli, akshat, betel leaves and nuts, incense, camphor and a ghee lamp.
For the prasad, prepare sheera or sapatha using semolina, ghee, sugar and banana. Ask your Pandit about the exact quantities for the number of guests.
Setting up
Place the kalash on a bed of rice at the centre, with the image behind it. Keep the lamp to the right of the image.
Keep the samagri within reach of the Pandit so the pooja flows without breaks.