Preparation Guidelines
Annaprashan Pooja Preparation Guidelines
• Check all the Annaprashan Pooja samagri again as per list.
• Tie the door hanging (Toran) to the main door. Decorate your main entrance with colorful Rangoli.
• Play some divine instrumental music like Sitar, Shehnai, Santoor, Flute etc… to create a holy atmosphere.
• Check if your camera and camcorder are in working conditions; batteries charged. This is a precious
moment in your life and you should capture it, preserve it, cherish it and share with your relatives & friends.
• Prepare the Prasad (offerings to the God like food, sweets etc…) well in time. If possible call 2-3 families
of friends/relatives for help from beginning.
• Before starting the Pooja the host couple should wear dress suitable and appropriate for the Pooja as per
the family tradition. Typically the husband should wear Indian silk Dhoti and the silk kurta or regular Kurta
Pajama. Wife of the host should wear a sari or salwar kamiz dupatta etc…
• If there are kids at home call their friends as much in advance as possible so that they will not get bored
and trouble during the Pooja. Ask the kids to participate in the Pooja as they like, do not force them.
Engage them in their favorite activities like comic books, story books, favorite TV Programs,
Cartoon/Comedy TV Programs or DVDs etc…Without taking care of them properly expecting them to
behave through out the Pooja is not correct.
• Follow the steps & diagrams below for preparing the Pooja Dais (raised square or rectangular platform for
performing Pooja).
|| Pooja Dais Arrangement ||
• As far as possible do not set up Pooja near kitchen so that strong smell of spices will not cause problem
during the Pooja and also chatting in the kitchen will not create distraction during Pooja .
• Chaurang is to be used as a Pooja Dais on which all the Pooja is performed. Place the Chaurang against a
wall in such way that the deities on the Chaurang are facing East (If not possible West is also OK). Place a
nice decorative cloth on it.
• Keep all the Pooja samagri in different plates on the right side of the Chaurang. Prepare a bowl full of
Panchamrut by adding 2-3 tea spoon curd, 1 spoon honey, 1-2 spoons pure ghee & 1 spoon sugar to about
1 cup milk. If required prepare more pamchamrut enough for all the guests invited for the Pooja.
• Place 2 flowerpots at the 2 back corners of the Chaurang.
• In the center of the Chaurang put handful of rice grains and place silver or copper Kalash.
• Fill the Kalash with water, just a little over half. Put 1 Beatle nut, 1 Quarter coin, 1 flower & a little akshata
in the Kalash.
• Place 5 Beatle nut leaves on the edge of the silver or copper Kalash with the stems inside the kalash & the
ends outside the kalash. Place a Tamhan (copper or silver plate) on the Kalash. Fill the tamhan with rice
grains till the inner rim. Draw a “Swastik” symbol with kumkum in the middle on the rice and place one
Beatle nut at the center of the swastika.
• Place the Bell (Ghanta) at the front left corner of the Chaurang and place the Conch (Shankha) on the front
right corner of the Chaurang. Keep some rice grains below the conch to make a proper base for it.
• Keep the Lord Ganesh Murti in front of the Kalash at the center and keep murti or coin or photo of Lakshmi
to the right side of Lord Ganesh.
• Keep all other deities as per your family tradition e.g. Kuladevata on the Chaurang at a suitable place.
Photos can be also placed on the wall if needed.
Arrangement around the Chaurang:
Place sufficient aluminum foil (about 2 feet wide strip) on all the 3 sides of Chaurang (front, left & right side)
so that the floor will not get spoiled due to Pooja material.
• Keep one oil lamp (Samai) and one Ghee Lamp (Niranjan) on the right hand side of the Chaurang on the
foil. Use a small plate below Samai or niranjan so that the oil or ghee will not spill outside.
• Keep the incense stick (Agarbatti) in a proper holder next to the ghee lamp on the right side of Chaurang.
• Keep 5 coconuts with water in front of the Chaurang on the aluminum foil. Keep one Beatle Leaf in front of
each coconut. Keep one dollar note folded on each leaf, keep one quarter coin on each dollar note, keep
one Beatle Nut on each coin. Keep one peace of dry coconut on each Beatle Leaf and keep a small piece
of “Deshi Gud” i.e. Jaggery on each piece of dry coconut. Keep small quantity of 5 types of dry fruits like
cashes nuts, almonds, resins, pistachio, dry dates etc…
• Keep one Jug full of water near the Chaurang. Keep a big utensil or big bowl to keep the used water.
• Keep two mattresses one each for the husband and wife performing Pooja in front of the Chaurang about 2
feet away from the Chaurang. Husband will seat facing the Chaurang and the wife will seat on the right
side of the husband. The Chaurang should be in the center for both to perform Pooja comfortably.
• Keep one mattress on the left side of the Chaurang for Panditji who will be facing the couple performing the
Pooja. If the host is facing East Panditji should be facing West and if host is facing West Panditji should be
facing East.
• Keep all other Pooja material on the right side of the Chaurang duly arranged in different plates as per the
samagri list without fail (Please do not keep the Pooja samagri in the plastic carry bags). Double check all
the material as per the list is available. (Do not misplace Pooja Samagri and very important; do not fight
with each other over keeping Samagri.)
All the above preparation should be done before arrival of Panditji so that Pooja can be finished in time.
Samagri List
|| Annaprashan Pooja Samagri (Material) List ||
Description of material Quantity
Material For Annaprashan Pooja
Silver Bowl and Silver Spoon for feeding the baby (if
possible brand new).
1 set
Golden Chain for baby 1
Any other golden article like ring, bracelet etc… optional
New dress for the baby 1
Round/Rectangle
Silver/Stainless Steel Plate/Tray
1
Different articles like Calculator, Dollar Bill ($5, $10, $100), Pen, Pencil,
Cell Phone, Crayons, painting brush, musical instrument, book, writing
pad etc…
All these articles which indicate different professions are kept in the
plate in front of the Baby. It is believed that which ever object the baby
picks up or touches may be the career for the baby; so add any other
items creatively as you wish.
Red Yellow, Green, Rangoli Colors. Decorate the
entrance of your house with an attractive Rangoli
Design. You can also use colored chalks or crayons.
1 Small Bowl each
Rangoli (fine powder of white stone, used to create decorative designs
in front of the door of the house)
1 Small Bowl
Rice Grains 2 bowls
Door Hanging 1
Material for Anna Prashan Vidhi Dais (Stage/Platform) Quantity
Chaurang - 4 legged wooden square stool
(approx. 18"X18"X6-8").
(Small rectangular folding coffee tray, or even a square
or rectangular corrugated box will serve the purpose)
1
Shankha - Conch 1
Ghanta – Bell (Silver/Stainless Steel) 1
Ganesh Murti (Silver/Brass/Copper/Stainless Steel) 1
Kul-Devata (Family Deity), Lakshmi Murti
(Silver/Brass/Copper/Stainless Steel), photos or coins.
1 each
Decorative cloth on the Chaurang (Dais) table cloth, shawl etc… 1
Samai (Brass/Stainless Steel/silver Lamp) 1-2
Description of material Quantity
Seating Mattresses (1 for Panditji, 2 for host couple) 3
Match Box or Gas Lighter 1
Cello Tape 1
Scissor/knife for cutting thread etc... 1
Paper Napkins 1 Roll
(3) Material for Host for performing Annaprashan Pooja Quantity
Kalash/Loti (Silver/Copper/Stainless Steel). Traditional
Indian pot used for keeping drinking water during lunch or
dinner, can also be used if Pooja Kalash is not available.
1
Tamhan/Purnapatra (7-8" diameter)
(Silver/Copper/Stainless Steel Plate traditionally used in
Pooja one is used for keeping on Kalash & other is used
for Pooja Vidhi)
2
Panchpatra/Bhande (Silver/Copper/Stainless Steel –
traditional Indian pot used for drinking water during lunch
or dinner, it is about 3 inches in height & 2.5 inches in
diameter) & Pali (Silver/Copper/Stainless Steel –
traditional spoon used in pooja)
1 set
Niranjan (Silver/Brass/Stainless Steel Lamp with one wick
used with ghee)
1
Water Jar/Jug/Bottle (½ Gallon) (Stainless Steel/Plastic) 1
Utensil/Bowl (½ Gallon) (Stainless Steel/Plastic) for
keeping used water
1
5 types of Fruits (Mango, Banana, Apple, Orange, Pear, Peach etc…) 5 each Total 25
1 Dollar Bills 8
Quarter Coins 8
Cotton Balls (Approximately 1-2" diameter cotton balls) 3-4
Janve (Janeu) (Holy Thread) 2 pairs
Red thread (Moli) 1 Reel
Tray/Plate #1 - Gandhakshata Quantity
Akshata (Rice Grains mixed with Kumkum) 1 Small Bowl
Haldi (Turmeric Powder) 1/2 Small Bowl
Kumkum (Red Powder) 1/2 Small Bowl
Sandalwood Powder or tablets. 1 small packet
Ashtagandha (Scented Orange Powder) 1/4 Small Bowl
Tray/Plate #2 - Dhoop Aarti (Prayer) Quantity
Agarbatti (Thin Incense Sticks) 1 box
Dhoop (Thick Incense Sticks/Cones/crystals etc...) 1 box
Kapur (Camphor) 1 Box
Tray/Plate #3 - Naivedya (Offering) Quantity
Description of material Quantity
Beatle leaves with stem 12
Beatle Nuts 25
Pancha khadya - (5 types of dry fruits) e.g. Kharik (Dry Dates), Kaju
(Cashews), Badam (Almonds) Manuka (Resins), Piste (Pistachio)
7-8 each
Dry Coconut small triangular pieces 7-8
Gud (Jagary) small pieces 7-8
Khadisakhar (Sugar Crystals) 1 Small Bowl
Naral/Nariyal - (Coconuts with water) 5
Tray/Plate #4 - Naivedya (Offering) Quantity
Panchamrut (Mixture of Milk, Curd, Ghee, Honey, Sugar) 1 bowl
Any one sweet of your choice e.g. Pedhe / Barphi / Ladu / khir etc… As needed
Tray/Plate #5 - Pushpam - Flowers Quantity
Flowers Assorted (Rose, Marigold etc...) 5-6
Tray/Plate #6 - Miscellaneous Quantity
Ghee for Niranjan & Oil for Samai 1 small bowl each
Attar - (Scent) small bottle 1
Disposable Plates / Tray 7-8
Important
• Anna Prashan Vidhi is about one and half hours Vidhi (routine).
• Please ensure that all the material is available and kept well organized near the Pooja dais
(stage/platform) on the right side.
• If you have any shortage or facing difficulties in understanding any description please contact
Panditji.
• Ensure that the vidhi begins in time so that it can be completed in time.
• Ensure that you have some relatives/friends to help you on the Pooja day right from the beginning
till end.
