Satyanarayan Puja
Satyanarayan Puja honors Vishnu in his form as Satyanarayana, "the true, imperishable one," and is usually accompanied by the reading of the Satyanarayan Katha, a set of five stories illustrating the rewards of devotion and the consequences of forgetting a vow made to the deity. It is commonly performed to give thanks after a wish is fulfilled, or to mark occasions like a new home, a wedding, or the full moon.
Clean the home and the puja area, ideally sprinkling Gangajal (Ganges water) for purification. Choose a quiet corner facing east or north for the altar.
Cover a wooden platform with yellow or red cloth, spread rice in the center, and place the Kalash on it — filled with water, ringed with mango or betel leaves, topped with a coconut, and tied with moli. Set the Satyanarayan picture or idol behind it.
The host (and family) bathe and wear clean clothes, then sit before the altar and take a formal Sankalp — a spoken resolve stating one's name, family, and the intention behind performing the puja, water in hand.
As with most Hindu rituals, a brief invocation of Ganesha is done first, asking that the puja proceed without obstacles.
Offer roli, haldi, kumkum, chandan, akshat, flowers, and tulsi leaves to the Kalash and then to the image of Satyanarayan, along with incense and a lit lamp.
The priest or an elder reads the five chapters of the Satyanarayan Katha aloud to all present, recounting stories of devotees who kept — or forgot — their vow to honor Satyanarayan after a wish was granted.
Panchamrit (milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar) is offered to the deity, followed by the sheera prasad and other food offerings (naivedya).
The puja closes with aarti — the ceremonial waving of lit lamps to devotional song — after which the prasad, especially the sheera, is distributed to everyone present.
Salutations to Lord Vasudeva (Vishnu/Krishna) — the twelve-syllable Vishnu mantra commonly chanted during Satyanarayan worship.
Practices vary by region and family — some perform this puja monthly on Purnima, others only for specific milestones. The reading of the katha and the making of the sheera prasad are considered the two indispensable parts of the ritual across most traditions.