Puja with pictures?

[Spiritualseeker]

Namaste,

I printed out a picture of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha using photo paper. They came out real good, but I am wondering if its okay to do puja using the picture instead of an idol. I guess the picture it self would be the same thing. Is this okay to do?

[Sherab]

Yes, it is okay :)

What were you thinking about doing?

Of course, you could also get a frame for them too.

[Spiritualseeker]

Namaste,

I was thinking of setting them up when I do my meditations and mantras and to offer incence or bannana and other fruits. Maybe even circumbulate them.

[saidevo]

We Hindus normally use framed portraits of our Gods and Goddesses and keep/hang them in our puja shelves/room. While doing puja to a specific deity, we take out the picture, keep it on a wooden Asana, decorate it flowers, sandal paste and kumkumam and worship it with scriptural verses (shlokas) and mantras, in accordance with the puja procedure.

Here is a link to Ganesh puja at the Himalayan Academy Website:
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/audio/chants/ganesha_puja_color.pdf

[Spiritualseeker]

Namaste,

thank you my friend. I plan on start doing puja soon. I am trying to establish some type of daily discipline.