Ayudha Puja is a sacred Hindu ritual dedicated to honoring and worshiping tools, weapons, and instruments used for work and daily life. It is typically performed during Navaratri, particularly on the Vijayadashami day (Dussehra), to seek blessings for prosperity, success, and the removal of obstacles in professional and personal endeavors. The term “Ayudha” refers to any instrument or object used for a specific purpose, symbolizing the means by which individuals achieve their goals, while “Puja” refers to the act of worship.

The ritual begins by cleaning the tools or instruments that are to be worshiped. These may include vehicles, books, machines, musical instruments, weapons (in traditional settings), or even everyday items like computers, pens, and agricultural tools. The purpose is to acknowledge the importance of these tools in one’s life and to show gratitude for their service.

An idol or picture of Goddess Durga or Lord Vishnu is usually placed on the altar to bless the tools. Flowers, fruits, incense, and lighted diyas (lamps) are offered to the deity as symbols of respect and devotion. Kumkum, turmeric, and betel leaves are also applied to the tools or instruments being worshipped, while sweets are distributed as prasadam.

During the puja, devotees chant mantras like Durga Ashtakshara Mantra (“Om Dum Durgaye Namah”) or Vishnu Sahasranama to invoke divine blessings. In some traditions, the tools or instruments are bathed with milk, honey, or water in a ritual known as Abhishekam.

The puja concludes with the Aarti, and devotees seek the goddess’s blessings for prosperity, success in work, and the protection of the tools they use daily. Ayudha Puja symbolizes the recognition of the divine presence in all aspects of life, encouraging the worship of the means through which work and service are accomplished.