2.2.17

Mandir & Puja

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Mandir & Puja

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Mandir

  • A mandir is a Hindu temple, a special place for worship, prayer, and community gatherings.
  • A mandir is also a community centre.
    • People meet, learn, and celebrate festivals together in the mandir.
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Puja

  • Puja means worship or showing devotion to the gods and goddesses.
  • Hindus can perform puja at home or in the mandir.
  • During puja, Hindus make offerings such as flowers, food, water, light (from lamps), and incense.
    • These offerings show love, respect, and thankfulness to the deities.
  • Puja helps Hindus feel close to Brahman, the one divine reality.
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Home shrines and festivals

  • Many Hindu families have a small shrine at home. The home shrine often has murtis and candles.
    • Home puja lets families pray together and begin the day with peace and devotion.
  • In mandirs, priests lead group pujas and chant mantras (sacred prayers) in Sanskrit.
  • Festivals bring the community together for special pujas.

Statues and Icons

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Symbols

  • The representation of Hindu deities is rich in symbolism.
    • Each symbol is reminder of beliefs and duties.
  • Hindu temples often have many symbols, both inside and outside.
  • Murtis are the statues or other solid representation of the Hindu deities.
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Images

  • Images inside the temple are often used as part of puja (worship).
    • In some traditions, priests install murtis while singing hymns.
    • They believe that the sculpture contains divine energy.
  • Outside of the temple, there are large stone carvings of deities.
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Images and worship

  • It is important to understand that murtis are not the object of worship themselves. They are not believed to be gods.
    • They are icons that help to visualise the deity and its qualities.
  • By meditating before the icon the worshipper hopes to gain some part of the spirit of that deity.
    • Hindus also present food and other gifts to the images. This symbolises their gratitude for the help they have received.

Jump to other topics

1Year 7

1.1Origins of Abrahamic Faith

1.2Judaism

1.3Christianity

1.4Disciplinary Knowledge

2Year 8

2.1Islam

2.2Hindu Dharma (Hinduism)

2.3Buddhism

2.4Sikhi

2.5Atheism

2.6Philosophy of Religion

2.7Disciplinary Knowledge

3Year 9

3.1Life & Death

3.2Extremism

3.3Equality

4Additional Concepts

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