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ScottMalaysia
07 April 2010, 07:51 AM
I've got the cabinet I'm going to use as our altar, but I haven't put it together yet. I've still got to organise the pictures as well. I'd like to know, is there any particular ceremony that is performed when setting up a home altar? Are there any special prayers I should say or rituals I should perform? Should I recite the Gayatri of each God as I place His or Her picture on the altar?

BTW, the apartment has already been blessed.

Ramakrishna
13 April 2010, 12:03 AM
Namaste Scott,

I do not know of any particular ceremonies that are performed when setting up a home altar, but I would recommend reciting the Gayatri of each God as you place the pictures on the altar. Personally, that's all I would do in terms of "setting up" the altar, especially since the apartment has already been blessed. After that I would just move on the using the altar and praying there. However, if you are the type of person who likes ceremonies and such or ceremonies done by priests, then be sure to just check with your local priest to see if he can do a ceremony or recommend one that you can do.

Ashvati
13 April 2010, 11:30 AM
I have a small shrine with little statues of gods and goddesses that are personally important to me, and before putting a new one with the others I actually bathe it and recite a mantra asociated with that deity, or at least "Jai [insert name here]" if I simply don't know one. But yeah, don't quote me on that as far as whether that's proper according to any sect, one of the more difficult things about conversion into a religion I don't have friends from other than those I meet here is having to improvise so much.

sambya
13 April 2010, 12:55 PM
a golden rule --- so long you are dealing with pictures and uninstaled deties there are absolutely no rules .
but if you have ritually installed murthis theres strict rule .


this is the only rule to be followed . :)

so go ahead and do it , whichever way it pleases you .