House Pooja Guidelines

Request to Pooja hosts:

Bakthi is more important than anything. Satisfaction and grandness of the pooja is only  measured by the bakthi and dedication of the host, not by spending an huge amount of money on food or decorations during the pooja.

For information regarding House Pooja send an email to housepooja@njayyappa.org

To request a House Pooja in your house, please submit the reqeust form – House Pooja Reqeust Form

It is preferable that pooja host follows the Vratham, house and self cleanliness (for atleast 3 days before the pooja with or without Maala). It is preferable to prepare and have only vergetarian food for 2-3 days before the pooja.

Timings of pooja – not to exceed 2 hours
Tentative Plan preferably followed during the pooja (for e.g if pooja starts at 9 AM for morning pooja and 5 PM for evening pooja)

Timings           Time            Event                                                                      
 Pre-Arrangements for pooja   Before Pooja Time  Pooja host to take care of pooja place cleaned and Swami Photo kept for the pooja 
 Start of pooja [15 mins]  9 AM or 5PM  Start the pooja with chanting of Saranams and Pillayar Pooja 
 Devatas and  Swami Avahanam [30 mins] 9:15AM or 5:15PM  Devatas and Swami Avahanam and 108 Ashothra Ayyappa Archana
 Ayyappa Bhajans [45 -60 mins]

 9.45 -10.45 AM

or 5:45 – 6:45 PM

 Sing Nama Sankeerthanam of Ishta Devatas and Swami Ayyappa
 Maha Aradhana [15 mins]

 10.45 – 11 AM

or 6:45 – 7 PM

 Swami Deepam Aradhana, Namaskarams and Padipaatu 
 Annadhanam

 11 – 11.30 AM

or 7 – 7:30 PM

 Annadhanam to Ayyappa Maala wearing Swamis and all devotees

Pooja Items

  • Pooja to be done with Lord Ayyappa Photograph
  • Lord Ayyappa Photograph available with Group, to be co-ordinated with pooja co-ordination contact at swami_iyyappa@yahoo.com
  • Vighraham Abhishekam – with Priest only; also, to be done only during weekdays
  • Calling priest for Abhishekam to be coordinated by host


Pooja Checklist is given at the bottom of this page
 
Flowers

  • 1 Mala for the lord and other maalas as required ; You can make maala yourself or can check with Vivek Flowers directly if they could provide a maala at (732) 321 0403 http://www.vivekflowers.com/
  • Archana flowers – a bunch or two of flowers as deemed by host to buy from local shoprite or pathmark should be sufficient

 
House Pooja Food:

  • RSVP and Evite to devotees compulsory
  • Maximum of 2 sweets and a minimum of 1 sweet.
  • Morning Pooja Meals (maximum of 3 items only, 2 vegetables maximum, rice 3 items maximum)
  • Evening Pooja can have mostly tiffin items or restricted meals not to waste food carried over to the next day
  • No onion/garlic
  • Cholestrol + Sugar free to be kept in mind during food preparation

 Home made food for Prasadam as Mala wearing swamies can only take home made prasadams
 Please avoid garlic, onion, frozen items in the food in any shape or form.
 Please prepare the food on the same day of the pooja. Food prepared previously is not good for prasadam.

Pooja Vilakku (deepam)

  • 2 sets available

 
Please keep the place, pooja items, floor mats and other items as much clean as possible
Please treat Mala wearing swamies as Ayyappa. No one would like to offer old food, used items, wrong things, etc. to GOD.
 

Devotees coming to Pooja to maximize car pool

Devotees and Pooja hosts to participate in as many house poojas as possible

 
Pooja Items Checklist

Materials  Quantity 
General pooja materials  
Turmeric powder   ¼ lb.
Kumkum   1 pkt.
Lamps   2 or 3
Camphor, Sandal and Vibuthi   1 pkt each
Incense Sticks   1 pkt.
Beattle Levels + Paaku/Supari   6 Beattle leaves + 3 supari packets
Flowers   4 bunches
Flowers (loose Petals)   from 5 bunches.
Panjamritham   Mix of apples, bananas, oranges, Sugar/sugar crystals, honey, bit of ghee, bit of Vibhuthi
Coconuts   3
Fruits   Bananas, apples, etc.
New Cloth   1 -3 small piece of Cotton or Silk depending on Devatas Avahanam 
  Yellow for Ganesha, Red for Devi, Green for Visnu/Murgua, Blue/Black for   Ayyappan
Hand towel   1
Trash can and bags    1 (medium size)
Paper towel    1 roll
Trays   4 (various sizes)
Paper cups   10
Scissors/Knife     1 each
Match box    1
Oil   1 small bottle
Thiri (Wick) for lamps    According to the number of lamps used
Naivedyam   Appam, Aravana payasam, Paanagam, etc.