Car Puja Comments:

In July 2002, I posted a site regarding my car puja. When I put up this site, with the help of the pujari, who kindly explained the details to me, I never thought others would find it so interesting. Since January 2003, I have had several sites reprint or link to it. I am listing them below:

  • The first site to grab my article was beliefnet.com. This is a great multifaith website. Do check out the rest of the site after seeing the great job Laura did editing my information and putting it live! Click here to explore my article reprinted at beliefnet.com..
  • An alternative news magazine which I have been fond of for years had found the article at beliefnet.com and provided a synopsis on the Utne Reader Web Watch.
  • Around the same time Utne gobbled it up, Sanjay from Hinduism.about.com, inquired if he could also repost the article. In addition it is found on the hinduism.about.com site, where it was featured at one point.
  • Lastly, the spiritual magazine, Hinduism Today, found my URL and included it in their e-mail/ website updates
I greatly appreciate other websites finding value in my postings by reprinting and linking to my site. Through this, I have received some interesting feedback. I will update these comments as I get more. Keep checking at each update cycle.

Feb. 5, 2003

When I bought my car, I did not do car puja. I am Hindu by birth and India-born. Just wondering...are you taking these activities as cultural or religious or both or anything else?
SK

Jayanthi's Reply:
Hi. I have done this and other pujas for both religious and cultural reasons. It may seem odd to hear that from a Christian-born American, but I don't follow Christianity and know barely anything about Christianity as compared to my adopted faith.
There are different theories behind puja - as for me, it makes me a feel a step closer to God and I feel as if I am protected. In fact after doing this puja, many odd instances happened with my car and animals. They would jot out in front, and somehow seconds before reaching my front tire, would turn and go back the way they came. I know that animals usually do not behave that way in front of moving vehicles.
Feb. 23, 2003

Hi Jennifer
Yes read your car pooja article. Very good. You know I know Hindus perform this when they get their new car, I have seen it when I chance upon one occasion on my weekly temple visits. I neither own or owned a car or have been invited to one these poojas.
(I suppose, it is very personal and no one gets invited.) It is good to know the details. So your article was an eye opener. At least I am enlightened by it and will be able to explain it to my non -Hindu friends in the future if they ask me.
Ganesh
March 4, 2003

Hello Jayanthi,
I read your article on "How to Bless Your New Car". I'm from India and I have never read nor has anybody explained so clearly the procedure for doing this puja. I followed the link to your site and was surprised to know you went to MCC. Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Mahesh M.
Jayanthi (Jennifer) March 10, 2003

Hi Jenny (I will call you Jayanthi hereafter),
You have performed ayudha pooja for your new Matrix!!! Last weekend I bought an aerio and would have done all the pooja like you in a grand way if I were in Madras. Here I just kept the keys near our gods and lit camphor that's all. You seem like an interesting person, I also learnt from your site that you like Tamil songs so much!!! Siva
Copyright March 2003.
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