Important Hindu Rituals

1. Daily Rituals (Nitya Karma)

1. Sandhya Vandana – Daily prayer and meditation, especially for Brahmins.
2. Surya Arghya – Offering water to the Sun God.
3. Snana (Purification Bath) – Cleansing the body before worship.
4. Japa (Chanting Mantras) – Repeating sacred sounds or mantras.
5. Puja (Daily Worship) – Offering prayers to deities.
6. Deepa Daan – Lighting lamps for divine blessings.

2. Major Hindu Ceremonies (Samskaras)

1. Garbhadhan Samskara – Ritual for conception.
2. Namkaran Samskara – Naming ceremony of a newborn.
3. Annaprashan Samskara – First solid food feeding ritual.
4. Mundan Samskara – First head-shaving ceremony.
5. Upanayana Samskara – Sacred thread ceremony for boys.
6. Vivah Samskara – Hindu marriage rituals.
7. Antyeshti (Last Rites) – Funeral rituals for the deceased.

3. Vedic Rituals & Homas

1. Agnihotra Homa – Fire sacrifice for purification.
2. Ganesh Homa – Performed for success and obstacle removal.
3. Navagraha Homa – Ritual to appease planetary influences.
4. Rudra Abhishek – Worship of Lord Shiva with sacred offerings.
5. Chandi Path Homa – Performed for protection and strength.

4. Temple & Festival Rituals

1. Aarti – Offering light to the deity while singing devotional songs.
2. Abhishekam – Sacred bathing of idols with milk, water, and honey.
3. Prasadam – Offering and distributing sanctified food.
4. Vrat (Fasting Rituals) – Observing fasts for divine blessings.
5. Parikrama (Circumambulation) – Walking around a deity or sacred place.

5. Special Rituals for Life Events

1. Griha Pravesh – Housewarming ceremony.
2. Satyanarayan Puja – Worship of Lord Vishnu for prosperity.
3. Pitru Tarpan & Shraddha – Offering prayers to ancestors.
4. Kaal Sarp Dosh Puja – Performed to remove planetary doshas.

6. Pilgrimage & Holy Dips

1. Kumbh Mela Snana – Holy bath in sacred rivers.
2. Char Dham Yatra – Pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.
3. Amarnath Yatra – Sacred journey to Lord Shiva’s ice lingam.