Ayudha Puja, also known as Astra Puja, is a unique and spiritually significant ritual observed in India, particularly during the Navratri/Dussehra festival. The term “Ayudha” means weapons or tools, and “Puja” means worship. Hence, Ayudha Puja is the ritualistic worship of weapons, tools, instruments, books, and vehicles—anything that helps us perform our duties or earn our livelihood.
Celebrated primarily in South Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, this puja reflects the deep-rooted Indian value of treating one's instruments of work with reverence and gratitude.