For questions about prayer (i.e. [puja]).
Most observant Hindus engage in some type of formal worship (pūjā) both in the home and in temples. In the home, Hindus usually have a special place that is used as a shrine, and which contains a picture or statue symbolizing the individual's chosen form(s) of God (ishta). Other practices in the home include meditation (dhyāna), the chanting of God's name or names (japa), and the recitation of scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita.
Before performing pūjā, the devotee usually bathes and wears washed clothes.
Visiting temples is not obligatory for Hindus. Hindu temple priests (pandās) are salaried workers, hired by temple authorities to perform ritualistic worship.
Priests begin to perform temple worship at daybreak, and continue with various rituals until late in the evening.
Besides home and temple worship, observant Hindus are supposed to perform every action as an offering to God as prescribed by karma yoga.
