Ayudha Puja, meaning "worship of tools," is a significant Hindu festival that celebrates the reverence of instruments, tools, and weapons used in daily life and professional activities. It is observed as part of the larger Navaratri festival, particularly on the ninth day, also known as Maha Navami. The festival is popular in southern states of India, like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, as well as parts of Maharashtra and Odisha.
Ayudha Puja is deeply rooted in the idea that tools and implements, whether for agriculture, construction, business, or learning, are not just material objects but extensions of the divine. Worshipping these tools is a way of acknowledging their importance in enabling livelihoods, creativity, and productivity. On this day, people clean and decorate their tools—such as machinery, vehicles, books, musical instruments, computers, and even weapons—and offer prayers for prosperity, protection, and success in their endeavors.
In addition to tools, weapons like swords and guns are also honored, particularly by warriors and members of the armed forces, harking back to ancient times when this ritual was practiced by soldiers before battle. In modern contexts, even schoolchildren place their books and writing instruments for worship, seeking blessings for academic success.
Ayudha Puja also symbolizes the victory of good over evil, as it is closely associated with the story of Goddess Durga’s triumph over the demon Mahishasura, symbolizing the divine power protecting the world from chaos.
