Puja (pūjā) means an act of worship and reverence. In many Hindu traditions it is a way of honouring a deity through attention, prayer and offerings; it may take place in a home, temple, festival or another appropriate setting. Some forms include a sacred image or symbol, while others emphasize recitation, contemplation or a simpler devotional gesture.
Puja is not a single universal script followed identically by all Hindus. Its form depends on the deity, region, family, temple and religious tradition. A useful distinction is between the meaning of puja—devotional honour—and a particular puja-vidhi, which is a defined set of actions requiring a named source or qualified custom. This FAQ describes the first, not instructions for the second.