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New Delhi: Ayudha Puja or Shastra Puja is performed just a day before Dusshera. Observed on the ninth day of Navratri, known as Mahanavami, the festival is particularly observed in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala. The word Ayudha means tools or weapons, and Puja means worship. So the festival is a way of giving gratitude and respect to the iron tools we use in our daily lives. Traditionally, this puja was dedicated to weapons.
In today’s time, the puja also includes tools, machinery, vehicles, books, and modern gadgets like laptops. Much like Vishwakarma Puja in other parts of India, Ayudha Puja honours skill, innovation, and the instruments that support human effort and life. Here, we will explore more about its significance, time, date and rituals.
This year, Ayudha Puja falls on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
Navami Tithi Begins: 06:06 PM, September 30, 2025
Navami Tithi Ends: 07:01 PM, October 1, 2025
Ayudha Puja Muhurat: 02:12 PM to 03:00 PM
Shastra Puja has its roots in the worship of weapons by warriors before going into battle. In the epic Mahabharat, this ritual began with the Pandavas, who worshipped their weapons before engaging in war. With changing times, it became a broader celebration of all tools, including those used for work, education, and farming.
In the epic Ramayan, before Lord Ram went to war, he performed a shastra puja. Many tales show the significance of performing the shastra puja. Even kings and emperors performed shastra puja before going to war to receive blessings in the form of strength and power.
Ayudha Puja rituals involve cleaning and decorating iron tools, weapons, or instruments with flowers, turmeric, and vermilion. These items can range from books, musical instruments, computers, cars, to even kitchen utensils, depending on one’s profession or daily activities. After the tools are cleaned and decorated, they are placed in front of deities for worship, usually in a puja room or temple. Prayers are offered to ask for blessings for success and protection in their use.
People also perform aarti and offer sweets, fruits, and flowers during the worship. In some places, vehicles like cars and bikes are also washed and decorated, as they are seen as essential tools for modern life.
Ayudha Puja teaches us to respect the materials we use daily. It honours the concept that everything, including inanimate objects like tools and instruments, contains a heavenly spirit. They are worshipped in hopes of receiving blessings for productivity, safety, and success in their work.
The act of adorning and cleaning equipment represents cleansing the instruments as well as the user’s psyche. It serves as a reminder to approach our job with dedication and focus, making sure we handle our equipment sensibly and morally.
The celebration also represents a harmony between Sastra or scriptures or wisdom and Shastra or weapons. Ayudha Puja accentuates the equal importance of physical and mental strength by worshipping both literature and swords.
