Ayudha Puja/ Shastra Puja 2025: A Reminder of the Divine Presence in Tools of Livelihood and Creativity
Ayudha Puja/ Shastra Puja 2025: A Reminder of the Divine Presence in Tools of Livelihood and Creativity
Festival on October 1 honors tools, weapons, vehicles, and Goddess Saraswati across South India
Ayudha Puja, also known as Shastra Puja, will be observed on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, coinciding with the Navami Tithi of Navratri. Widely celebrated in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, this festival pays homage to weapons, tools, vehicles, and instruments of learning.
Traditionally dedicated to weapons, Ayudha Puja today embraces modern tools and equipment — from household items and industrial machinery to books, writing instruments, and even laptops. Similar in spirit to Vishwakarma Puja observed elsewhere in India, the festival highlights gratitude towards the instruments that support livelihood, skill, and progress.
Spiritual and Cultural Meaning
Ayudha Puja emphasizes humility, respect, and discipline by reminding devotees that every instrument — simple or advanced — carries divine energy. By worshipping tools, people seek blessings for knowledge, creativity, prosperity, and protection. The rituals strengthen the bond between individuals and their professions, underlining the sacredness of work itself.
Rituals and Traditions
Preparations begin with thorough cleaning of homes, workplaces, and vehicles. On the day of the puja:
- Tools, machinery, and vehicles are washed, decorated with flowers, turmeric, sandalwood, and vermillion.
- Books, pens, and laptops are placed before Goddess Saraswati and Devi Lakshmi.
- Offerings of fruits, puffed rice, jaggery, peanuts, and pumpkin are made as Naivedyam (prasad).
- Mango leaf torans are hung at entrances to invite auspiciousness.
- Idols of Saraswati and Lakshmi are adorned with red and white sarees.
- Traditionally, tools and machinery are not used on this day, symbolizing renewal of divine energy.
After the rituals, vehicles are often taken for a short drive, believed to invoke protection and success. The day concludes with prasad distribution and thanksgiving for the instruments that support daily life.
Ayudha Puja 2025: Date and Muhurat
- Ayudha Puja Date:Â Wednesday, October 1, 2025
- Navami Tithi Begins:Â 6:06 PM, September 30, 2025
- Navami Tithi Ends:Â 7:01 PM, October 1, 2025
Ayudha Puja 2025 is more than a ritual — it is a reminder of the divine presence in tools of livelihood and creativity, encouraging respect, devotion, and gratitude in everyday work.
