📍 Preparatory Rituals

The ceremony begins with the invocation of Lord Ganesh, seeking His blessings to remove all obstacles. Varun Dev (God of cosmic water) is also worshipped to sanctify the space and participants. This is followed by the Punyahavachan, a Vedic purification ritual that spiritually energizes the surroundings before the main puja.

📍 Core Rituals of the Puja

🔸 Shodash Matrika Puja (16 Divine Mothers)
Sixteen feminine divine energies, known as Matrikas, are revered to invite protection, grace, and harmony into the devotee’s life.

🔸 Naag Devata Aradhana
This is the heart of the puja, where twelve serpent deities — including Rahu, Ketu, and other significant Nagas and Nagins — are venerated. Represented through metal idols (often silver or gold), they are offered milk, flowers, and sacred chants to pacify their cosmic influence.

🔸 Worship of Lord Shiva
As the ultimate destroyer of doshas, Lord Shiva is honored with Panchamrit Abhishek (offering of milk, honey, ghee, curd, and sugar), Rudrakalash Pujan, and a dedicated Navagraha Puja to align planetary energies and neutralize karmic hurdles.

🔸 Sacred Havan (Fire Ritual)
A fire ceremony is performed, invoking divine blessings and purification. Ghee and sacred herbs are offered with mantras, symbolizing the burning away of negative karmas and planetary afflictions.

🔸 Purnahuti (Final Fire Offering)
The concluding act of the havan, Purnahuti, marks the successful completion of the ritual, offered with full devotion and gratitude.

📍 Post-Ritual Practices

🔹 Balidaan (Symbolic Offering)
A protective ritual to ward off evil energies. A diya (lamp) made of edible oil is placed on rice and offered with intent to remove unseen negativity.

🔹 Distribution of Prasad
Devotees are given dry fruits and coconut as sacred offerings. Only family members are advised to consume the coconut; any blackened portion should be discarded respectfully in water. Sharing this prasad with outsiders is generally avoided to preserve its spiritual efficacy.

⚠️ Guidelines After the Puja

For 11 days following the puja, it is traditionally recommended to abstain from non-vegetarian food and alcohol, allowing the body and spirit to remain in a purified, sattvic (pure) state to maximize the puja’s effects.