A plain-language glossary of common puja samagri — from kumkum and akshat to camphor and durva grass — and why each item is offered.
Puja samagri — the materials used in worship — are never arbitrary. Each item carries meaning: an offering to the senses, a symbol of a quality, or a practical requirement of the ritual itself. This glossary, organised by the categories in Avyani's Master Samagri Catalogue, explains what the most common items are and why they are used.
Kalash and Utensils
The Kalash (sacred pot), usually filled with water and topped with mango leaves and a coconut, represents abundance and is invoked as a seat for the deity during worship. The Deepak (brass lamp) and its cotton wicks represent the light of knowledge dispelling ignorance. A Ghanti (bell) is rung to invite auspiciousness and mark key moments of the ritual, while the Panchpatra-Uddharani set holds and offers sacred water. A Havan Kund and Sruk-Sruva (spoon set) are used specifically for fire rituals. See our Kalash and Utensils guide for the complete list.
Flowers and Leaves
Flowers (pushpa) are among the five classical offerings and are chosen by deity and season — marigold and hibiscus are widely used, while lotus is especially associated with Devi and Lakshmi. Durva grass and bilva patra (bael leaves) are particular to Ganesha and Shiva worship respectively and are considered mandatory in their rituals. Tulsi leaves are central to all Vishnu worship, and mango leaves are traditionally strung as toran over doorways for auspicious occasions. See our Flowers and Leaves guide for the complete list.
Powders and Sacred Marks
Kumkum and sindoor (vermillion) and haldi (turmeric) powder are applied to the deity and to devotees as tilak, marking auspiciousness. Chandan (sandalwood) powder is both an offering and a cooling paste. Bhasma (sacred ash), associated particularly with Shiva worship, symbolises the impermanence of the material body. See our Powders and Sacred Marks guide for the complete list.
Liquids and Panchamrit
Panchamrit — a mixture of milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar — is offered and shared as prasad in most abhishekams. Ganga Jal (Ganges water) is used to sanctify a space or object, and plain shuddh jal (pure water) is used throughout a puja for washing and offering. See our Liquids and Panchamrit guide for the complete list.
Havan Samagri and Sacred Threads
Fire rituals require their own materials: a havan samagri mix of herbs and grains, wood samidha (commonly mango, peepal or shami), and ghee and jaggery as fuel and offering. A Mauli or Kalawa (sacred red thread) is tied on the wrist during many rituals as a mark of protection and participation; the Janeu (sacred thread) has a specific role in Upanayana and daily practice for those initiated. See our Havan Samagri guide for a full walk-through of a fire ritual's materials, and our Cloth and Sacred Threads guide for more on Mauli and Janeu.
Naivedya — The Food Offering
Food offerings vary by deity and occasion: modak for Ganesha, kheer and seasonal sweets for most festival worship, and pinda (rice balls) specifically in ancestral (Shraddha) rites. Betel nut and betel leaves commonly accompany the naivedya as a mark of respect. See our Naivedya guide for the complete list.
Vrat Falahaar — Fasting Foods
For observances that involve fasting, such as Navratri or Ekadashi, a distinct set of permitted foods is used: sabudana (sago), kuttu and singhare ka atta (buckwheat and water chestnut flour), rajgira (amaranth), and sendha namak (rock salt) in place of regular grains and salt. See our Vrat Falahaar guide for the complete list.
A Note on Mandatory and Optional Items
Avyani's catalogue distinguishes mandatory items — those a ritual generally cannot proceed without, such as a kalash, akshat (rice) or a specific leaf — from optional items that enrich a puja but can be substituted or omitted according to availability and family tradition. A priest can always advise on which substitutions are acceptable for a given ritual.