What is Upachara !!!

Upachara means
Honouring, attendance, civility, politeness, entertaining, worshipping,
salutation, cortesy, customary obeisance, homage, anjali --- and the
relevant meaning would apply depending on whether it is given to a HUMAN
BEING OR GOD -- (as the great Sanatana Dharma treats MOTHER,
FATHER,ACHARYA and the GUESTS ALSO as GOD.)

In any puja as a part of the worship, the SUPREME POWER with Nirguna
attributes through the mantras is INVOKED in a human form as a SAGUNA
BRAHMAN as prescribed in the scriptures.
The supreme power which is omniscient and omnipotent is transferred
through the life giving prana prathista mantras on to a PHOTO or
VIGHRAHA OR YANTRA OR TO A SALAGRAMA ( in Salagrama it is not compulsory
to do
avahanam)
This done as an average human mind is incapable of meditating and
worshipping the supreme without a form as in nirguna rupa UPASANA. When
there can be so many pluralities in forms in the divine creation, here
the divine itself is arrested to a form as aforesaid for concentration
of
the mind on the divine.
After this the upacharas are done. It may be as PANCHOPACHARA ---Submission of 5 materials consisting of sandal paste,flowers (scented
),Dupam,Deepam and Neivedyam ( offering of eatables ) this being
minimum.
It can go upto SIXTEEN TYPES known as Shodasopachara Puja consisting
of 16 -- Diyana and Avahana,
Aasana,Padyam,Argyam,Achamaneeyam,Snanam,Vastram,Chanandam and
Kumkumam,Akshadai,Abaranam,Pushpam,Doopam,Deepam,Neivedanam,Neerajanam
and Namaskaram.
BUT In DEVI PUJA such as the SRI VIDYA NAVAVARANA PUJA this upacharam
to DEVI Goes upto 64 or 72 . The 64 upacharas are known as chatusashti
upachara to which is added another 8 to make it to 72 as per H.H
BHASKARARAYAS GRANTHAVARIVASYA RAHASYAM . These 8 are separately
discussed.
ADI SANKARA has composed the Chatusasti upachara puja stotram on
Ambaal which commences beautifully from DEVI SUPRAPADA and offers these
upacharas.
Any Devotee who is RICH ENOUGH OR CAN AFFORD the ornaments or
materials is expected to physically present these items to DEVI. For the
rest
it would be enough to substitute these items with either flowers or
Akshadai except where certain items like sandal paste, flowers,Doopam,
Deepam and Neivadyamthese can not be substituted.
Akshadai should not be plain white rice but coloured as red with

Kumkum or yellow with turmeric. The rice should not be broken in the
ends
but must be sharp.

IN DEVI PUJA WHAT ARE THESE 64 or 72 UPACHARAS and its meaning :

PADYAM :
TO WASH THE FEET OF GOD. INCLUDES ACHAMANEEYAM ( OFFERING WATER FOR
DRINKING)
ABARANA AVA AVOROPANAM ;
TO REMOVE THE ORNAMENTS AS A PREPARATION TO OFFER A BATH.
SUGANDHI THAILA ABANGAM ;
TO OFFER THE BEST OF SCENTED OIL.
MAJJANASALA PREVASANAM ;
TO TAKE HER TO THE BATHING PLACE.
MAJJANASALA MANIPEETOPAVESANAM;
TO MAKE HER SIT ON RATNA PEETA ON THE BATHING PLACE.
DIVYA SNANEEYA UDVARDANAM ;
TO OFFER THE BEST OF SCENTED POWDERS.
USHNODAKA SNANAM ; TO BATHE HER WITH HOT WATER.
KANKA KALASA SAKALA THEERTHABHISHEKAM ; TO BATHE HER WITH THE SACRED
WATER BROUGHT IN GOLD POT FROM ALL HOLY RIVERS.
DOWTHA VASTRA PARIMARJANAM ; TO WIPE HER WITH A DRY TOWEL
ARUNADUKULA PARIDANAM ;
TO OFFER HER RED SILK SAREE OR CLOTH
ARUNA KUCHOTIREEYAM ;
TO OFFER RED SILK BLOUSE OR CLOTH TO COVER HER.
ALEPA MANTAPA PREVESAM ;
TO TAKE DEVI TO A ROOM FILLED WITH RICH FRAGRANCE.
ALEPA MANTAPA MANI PEETOPAVECHANAM ;
IN THE SCENTED ROOM MAKE AMBAAL SIT ON A CHAIR OR A PLACE FOR SITTING
MADE OF RATNA.
CHANDANA - AGARU- KUMKUMA- MRUGAMATHAKARPURA- KASTURI - GOOROCHANADI DIVYA GANDHA - SARVANGEENA VILEPANAM ;

TO MAKE HER WEAR THE SANDAL POWDER, AGIL,SAFRON,JAWAD,GREEN

CAMPHOR,KASTURI,GOROCHANAI ( ALL THESE ARE DIFFERENT NATURAL FRAGRANCES
WITH
DIFFERENT NOTES AND FLAVOURS )
KESABARASYA KAALA AGAR DUPAM ;
TO OFFER HER THE SCENTED SMOKE TO HER HAIRS ON THE HEAD.
MALLIKA - MALATHI - JAATHI CHAMPAKA - ASOKA - SATA PATRA - PUGA KUHALI - PUNNAGAKALHARA MUKYA SARVA RUTHU KUSUMAMALA SAMARPAYAMI ;
THE MAKE DEVI WEAR GARLANDS MADE OF FLOWERS LIKE JASMINE, LOTUS , ETC
AND OTHER FLOWERS OF EVERY SEASON.
( FLOWERS AS AFORESAID AS I DO NOT KNOW THE ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS ).
BHUSHANA MADAPA PRAVESANAM ;
TO TAKE HER TO AN EXCLUSIVE PLACE FOR OFFERING ORNAMENTS.
BHUSHANA MANTAPA MANIPEETOPAVESANAM ;
IN THE EXCLUSIVE ROOM AS PER THE PREVIOUS UPACHARA MAKE DEVI SIT IN A
CHAIR MADE OF RATNA AND MAKE HER WEAR THE FOLLOWING ORNAMENTS.
NAVA MANI MAKUTAM ;
TO OFFER THE BEAUTIFUL CROWN MADE OF 9 PRECIOUS GEMS.
CHANDRA SAKALAM ;
OFFER HER THE ORNAMENT LIKE THE THIRD PHASE OF THE MOON FROM AMAVASYA .
SEEMANTA SINDOORAM ;
OFFER HER A CERTAIN RED DYE CALLED SINDUR FOR WEARING IN THE CENTRAL
PART OF THE HEAD BEFORE THE FOREHEAD .
THILAKA RATNAM ; OFFER HER THE TILAK OR DOT ON HER FOREHEAD.
KAALANGANAM ;
MAKE HER WEAR THE BLACK DYE FOR HER BEAUTIFUL EYES,
VAALIUGALAM ;
OFFER HER AN ORNAMENT FOR BOTH THE EARS.
MANIKUNDALAUGALAM ;
OFFER OF A TYPE OF ORNAMENT MADE OF GEMS WHICH HANGS FROM THE EARS.
NASABARANAM ;
TO MAKE HER WEAR AN ORNAMENT FOR THE NOSE.
ADARAYAVGAM ;

OFFER HER FOR HER BEAUTIFUL LIPS THE LIPS STICK OR COLORED DYE.
PRATHAMA BHUSHANAM ;
MANGALYA SUTRA.
KANGA CHINTAKAM ;
GOLD NECKLACE.
PADKAM ;
ORNAMENT LIKE A MEDAL
MAHA PADAKAM ;
ORNAMENT LIKE A HUGE OR BIGGER MEDAL.
MUKTAVALI ;
THREE ROWS OF PEARL NECKLACE.
EKAVALI ;
NECKLACE MADE OF 27 PEARLS.
CHANNA VEERAM ;
A TYPE OF ORNAMENT LIKE THE POONAL OR SACRED THREAD WORN ON BOTH THE
SIDES OF THE BODY.
KEYUURAUGALA CHATUSTYAM ;
ORNAMENT WORN ON THE BICEPS ON ALL THE 4 HANDS OF DEVI.
VALAYAAVALI ;
OFFER A FULL SET OF BANGLES TO COVER HER BOTH THE HANDS.
OORMIKAVALI ;
OFFER RING FOR HER FINGER.
KAANCHI DAAMAM ;
A TYPE ORNAMENT WORN LIKE A BELT.
KATI SUTRAM ;
A TYPE OF THREAD LIKE ORNAMENT WORN AROUND THE WAIST.
SOWBHAGYABARANAM ;
A TYPE OF ORNAMENT LIKE LEAF OF ASOKA TREE.
PADA KADAKAM ; ORNAMENT WORN ON THE THE STUMP OF THE LEG.
RATNA NUPURAM ;

A TYPE OF ORNAMENT LIKE SILAMBU AS KNOWN IN TAMIL.

PADANGULEEYAKAM ;
ORNAMENT WORN IN FINGERS OF THE LEG LIKE METTI OR PEELI.
PASAM .; A ROPE IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND,
ANGUSHAM ;
A TYPE OF ORNAMENT RESEMBLING THORATTI IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND.
PUNDREKSHU CHAPAM ;
BOW MADE OF SUGAR CANE.
PUSPA BANAM ;
THE ARROWS MADE OF FLOWERS IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND.
SRI MAN MANIKYA PADUKE ;
THE SHOES MADE OF RED PRECIOUS GLITTERING STONES.
SVA SAMANA VESHBHI AVARANA DEVATIBHI SAHA MAHA CHAKRATHI ROHANAM ;
TO MAKE AMBAAL SEATED IN A PLACE APPROPRIATE TO HER AVARANA DEVATAS
WEARING ORNAMENTS.
KAMESWARANGA PARYANGA UPAVESANAM ;
TO MAKE HER SIT AN THE LAP OF KAMESHWARA.
AMRUTA SAVASASAKAM ;
OFFER HER HONEY LIKE AMRUTA.
ACHAMANEEYAM ;
OFFER DEVI WATER.
KARPURA VEETIKA ;
OFFER HER BETEL LEAVES ( PAN ) WHICH CONTAINS ALL THE RARE SPICES AND
BETLE NUTS WITH CALCIUM PASTE ( CHUNNAMBU ).
AANANDOOLASAM ;
DEVI WHO SMILES WITH HER HAPPINEES & BLISS.
MANGLARTIKAM ;
WAVING OF LAMPS.
CHATRAM ;
SHOW HER THE UMBRELLA OVER HER HEAD.

CHAMARAM ;
WAVING OF CHAMARAM.
DARPANAMA ;
TO SHOW HER THE MIRROR.
THALAVRUTTAM ;
TO WAVE THE FANS.
CHANDANAM ;
TO OFFER HER THE SANDAL PASTE.
PUSHPAM ;
OFFER HER SCENTED FLOWERS.
DUPAM ;
WAVE HER INCENSE STICKS.
DEEPAM ;
WAVE HER THE SINGLE LAMP.
NEYVEEDYAM ;
OFFER HER THE CHOICE OF FOODS AS PER THE SCRIPTURES.
THE ABOVE UPACHARAS CONSTITUTE THE 64 UPACHARAS.
THE ADDITIONAL EIGHT UPACHARAS AS PER BASKARA RAYAS SRI VARVASYA
RAHASYAM ARETO WEAR THE FLOWERS OFFERED TO DEVITO PRAY TO GURUTO PRAY
TO
DEVI DEVOTEES - TO PRAY TO MANTRIC SCRIPTURESTO DO HOMA IN AGNITO TAKE
THE WATER WASHED FROM DEVI FEETTHE PROCEDURE RELATING TO PRANGNI.

THERE APPEARS TO BE A MINOR SAMPRADYA BETHAM IN DAKSHINAMURTHY

SAMPRADAYAM AS TO THE ORNAMENTS WORN IN WHICH HAND OF DEVI FOR ORNAMENTS
SUCH
AS PASAM ANGUSAM ETC