Can Women Perform Pooja At Home?

Hi All,

Today while just having a conversation with my colleague I got this doubt.
My parents are not much into doing any Pooja at home. They celebrate all festivals, but this thing of doing elaborate Prasadham , neivaidhyam is not their cup of tea. They are a bit more liberal when it comes to performing Pooja .

My memory goes back to days , for Ganesh Chathurthi mom used to make the Prasadham, dad used to read some Pooja book, follow instructions and perform Pooja and Neivaidhyam. Other than this since mom is working(still working) , she didn't really have much time for elaborate festival celebration ,chanting of Shlokam etc.

Now coming to in laws, they are opposite to my parents. They follow all traditions to the T. Right from making elaborate Pooja, variety Neivaidhyam , reading a lot of religious scripts they follow all traditions. What I have observed is , for most festivals my MIL's duty is in the kitchen , preparing delicacies and FIL always does the Pooja (Aarathi, Neivaidhyam etc. ) I have no complaints on either my parents or in laws.

Now coming to Husband - He is super good in everything . We have no issues. But he is opposite to his parents . He doesn't believe in doing any Pooja. Has very little interest in celebrating festivals in an elaborate manner( and he claims himself to be super practical saying that). Given a chance he will skip a particular festival giving reasons like office work etc etc.

I , who used to not even light a lamp before marriage turned out opposite after marriage after seeing in laws. To keep myself occupied I believe in celebrating all festivals in elaborate manner, making prasadam , pooja, neivaidhyam , Aarathi etc. My in laws never said me don't do. They are more than happy if I do anything. But they keep insisting my husband to learn how to perform a particular Pooja (like Ganesh Chathurthi etc). He doesn't bother to listen.

Now Navrathri is going on. I am performing Nava Durga pooja, chanting LS, preparing prasadham. Finally doing Neivaidhyam and Aarathi all by myself. Husband doesn't do and I am not complaining as it is his interest and I never force him .

Now 2 days back in office one colleague said something like how can you do Aarathi , neivaidhyam and all to God. In ours only women who are 50 + can do. Otherwise men only do. They are Kannadigas and we are Tam brams. I told till now no one restricted , so I am doing(Plus I thought maybe they have that practice and we don't have such practice). And something negative from someone I really don't care. But still somewhere it was haunting me. I asked my mom she said nothing like that. ( She being the liberal self is very happy and proud that her daughter who was once doing nothing is doing so much). I am not going to ask my in laws, because if at all they say yes you should not do, I will be hurt. Their complain is their son is not doing and I am sure they won't say me not to do. But somewhere I feel if they say no I maybe hurt.

So I want to take opinion of elders here and what they feel.

Also I am a full time working women,Along with all career aspirations I have certain religious aspirations , I am also practical . Manage my Pooja activities along with my office work and never left one to achieve excellence in the other like only praying and not being Practical and over practical and not doing anything for God. (Because husband complains why I am getting into all these elaborate celebration , he feels I should only be concentrating on career). I can manage both is my feeling

So is it wrong for a women to do Pooja and perform Aarathi etc especially if Husband is not interested at all?


Regards,
Anusha.

 

I agree with you .. Right now I don't have many responsibilities.. So for I'm enjoying what it is.. As we have to prioritize in future my interests may increase or decrease. Thank you for the detailed reply..

 

Thank you

 

Yes it's very true.. I agree. .

 

That's an awesome suggestion.. Thank you very much..