Essential Guidelines for Setting Up a Pooja Room at Home

 A home temple or a pooja room has been an integral part of Hindu households for ages. In addition to providing a sacred space for the family members to connect with their spiritual selves, the pooja room also fills the home with positive energy. However, to enjoy these benefits and maintain the sanctity of the space, it is important to set up the pooja room in the right manner.

From buying the most appropriate Hindu statues for home to selecting the right direction, design, and décor, every aspect should be carefully considered to create a calm and peaceful ambiance that enables people to connect with the almighty. Some essential guidelines that people should follow while setting up a pooja room at home are explained briefly as follows.

Choose The Right Location 

Choosing the right location for the pooja room is essential to maintain the balance and flow of positive energy. The important thing to remember in this context is that the pooja room should never be located near the kitchen, bedroom, or toilet. For people living in smaller homes and apartments and not having enough space for a separate pooja room, a small area on a shelf or a small alcove mounted on the wall can be used as the temple. However, whether the pooja room is separate or occupies a limited shelf space, it should always be located in the north, east, or northeast corner of the home.

Design of the Room

The design and décor of the pooja room play an important role in building concentration and proper energy flow for meditation. It is advisable to design the pooja room in a pyramid shape and keep the space well-lit and ventilated. It is also important to ensure that the pooja room has a door that can preferably be kept closed when the room is not being used to maintain its sanctity. The door should preferably be made from wood and should have designs carved into the panels. In case the mandir is placed on a shelf or is wall mounted, covering it with a shutter, a jail partition,  or a curtain after praying is highly recommended.

Placement and Type of Idols

It is essential to create a pedestal made of wood or marble for placing the idols of different gods. The statues should never be placed directly on the floor and multiple statues should be evenly spaced out. In such cases, using a staircase-like arrangement having an odd number of steps is highly recommended.  Also, when choosing a god statue for home, idols made of metals like brass and silver should be given greater preference. Other than that, non-metallic idols made from wood, clay, or even marble can be placed in the pooja room. 

Lighting the Room

While it is important to keep the pooja room well-lit at all times, care should be taken about not going overboard with the lighting. Having a pooja room that is too brightly lit diminishes its mystic appeal and also disrupts the process of meditation. At the same time, having too dim lighting makes the space look too dark and hinders the flow of positive energy. So it is important to use just the right amount of lighting in the room to maintain the focus on prayer and worship. It is also recommended to light a lamp or two in the pooja room every day, preferably in the morning and at dusk.  The lamp should be placed at a level at par or just below the idols and never above them unless hanging lamps or lamp stands are being used. If possible, a lamp should be left lit at all times in the room as it acts as the source of natural light and helps eradicate negative vibes.

Storage and Seating

It is important to keep the pooja room clutter-free and hence ample storage space should be incorporated into the room. Consider the option of building drawers into the platforms or pedestals on which the idols are placed. These drawers can be used to store everyday items used in pooja including incense sticks, ghee, tilak, camphor, and other such items. Any books or utensils may be stored on the shelves built along the walls of the room, although these should be kept to a minimum. The seating in the pooja room should be chosen according to the space available. It is always a good idea to have the option to sit down and meditate in the room. This can be ensured by having individual mats or small carpets and cushions in the pooja room. For the elderly members of the family, placing a small stool might in the room is also advisable.

Final Thoughts

Setting up the pooja room can be quite challenging but equally satisfying and soothing at the same time. Be it buying Hindu god statues online or selecting the right colors and lighting for the room, every aspect of the process helps people better define their spiritual ideology.