By Smithsonian Institute
29 min., 1996
Puja: Expressions of Hindu Devotion introduces viewers to one of the basic elements of Hinduism, the world’s third largest religion. In the Puja, Hindus honor gods and goddesses through rituals focusing on objects – whether an elaborate sculpture of the deity or just a stone – that are believed to be filled with the divine beings spirit. Viewers will hear American Hindus discussing a Puja and what it means to them and will watch as devotees worship deities and offer food, water and flowers, seeking to make a spiritual connection with the gods.
This tape includes three video segments, opening with a narration and open captioned version. The second segment presents a woman worshiping a household shrine, while the third segment shows people conducting Puja at an outdoor shrine to the goddess Chandi in the Puri district of Orissa, India.