Upachaaraas

Now we are ready to invoke Rama and offer Upachaaraas (reception with reverence). With folded hands focus on the picture of the deity as you chant the following:

Now offer a few grains of akshata with your right hand such that the grains fall on the picture gently as you chant

Offer akshata as before such that the grains fall on the altar as you chant

Offer an uddharana-full of water at the feet of the deity or picture as you chant

Offer an uddharana-full of water to the hands of the deity or picture as you chant

Offer again an uddharana-full of water to the hands of the deity or picture as you chant

Offer some sweet drink as you chant

Symbolically offer water to bathe or pour water over the deity to bathe as you chant

Offer again an uddharana-full of water to the hands of the deity or picture as you chant

Symbolically offer a clean piece of cloth to represent gifts of clothing

Symbolically offer a clean piece of string to represent a new yagnopaveet

Apply to the forehead some sandal paste

Offer some akshata

Offer flowers or petals of flowers to the picture or the deity go

With folded hands chant the several names of Rama

Offer incense by motioning incense smoke with your right hand towards the altar.

Lift the lamp and show it to the picture or deity such that it illuminates the face

Lift the plate of fruits, leaves and flowers in
reverence and offer them

Now lift the cover off the sweets/prasaadam and offer it as you chant

Sprinkle a few drops of water with the uddharana on the food as you chant

These are hails to the various wind elements in the body which promote digestion. The final hail to the creator Brahma. Continue to offer water as you chant

Offer a coin as you chant

This completes the Upachaaraas.

The above are excerpts from the booklet How to Conduct Puja to SriRamachandra, by Dr. A. V. Srinivasan, published by http://www.periplusbooks.com/.

These booklets may be purchased by sending a check or money order made out to Periplus Line LLC for $6.00 each, (shipping in the U.S. included) and mailing it to:

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