Can Women Perform Pooja At Home?

Of course there is no restriction! unless it is that time every month as all of us know very well.
I think you are too innocent and sweet, taking what that colleague said to heart and even started a thread about it. No need for all such soul searching imo. It gives you peace, calm, solace you love it so do it happily and full heartedly.
Be careful with that colleague though. something is off with her... maybe jealousy of your happy... she could not bear n tried to swat you down. Watch out she may try other things in other areas too.

 

OP, Usually when elaborate Neivedyam need to be performed men do the pooja and women will be busy with arrangements. But for Aarathi its the women that need to do the Aarathi. So yes women can do a complete Pooja. Some poojas women do predominantly especially Varalakshmi pooja as no men participates other than priest. Some Poojas like Ayyappan pooja men perform while women help arrange/ organize. So don’t worry.

At the end of every pooja we say this. “Please forgive us for all the mistakes we knowingly or unknowingly committed while performing this Pooja”. Actually this will be the conclusion in every pooja. Good to know that you say this in the beginning

 

Hey Anusha,
Male or female my original point remains— it is really none of their business what you do. If a lot of them are doing it then pls be aware and draw that boundary firmly.

I also had coworkers holding forth authoritatively as if they are some religious head like pope or something - what it is really is a kind of casual sexism. This is common and is part of their unstated narrative- they assume dominant role and lecture you on what all you are doing wrong- starts like this in unrelated things during downtime but this assumption you don’t know anything and need to be told everything for your own good slowly percolates into work areas without our realizing while we keep thinking we need to smile and show we are sporting and so don’t protest at the joking initially etc)

Notice how your friend by his authority of statement turned the plate - instead of you asking him ‘how come you don’t let your wife do any poojas’ which is the real story he had you all bothered and worried that you might be breaking some rule or something. That’s privilege for you... in action... male privilege.

Just for fun pretend to misunderstand next time he holds forth and ask him innocently why he won’t let his wife do any pooja. You will see how fast the topic gets changed.