How to Book a Puja in India from the USA, Canada or UK: The Complete NRI Guide

You may live in New Jersey, Toronto or London, but your roots, your faith and often your family's traditions are still in India. For millions of Hindu families abroad, one question comes up again and again: "How can we have a proper puja performed in India when we can't travel there?"

The good news is that it has never been easier. With a simple phone conversation, you can have a traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja, Havan or Special Anushthan performed at Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh, with your own name and gotra in the sankalp, and follow it from wherever you live.

This guide walks you through the whole process step by step: how the sankalp works from abroad, time zones, payments, what you receive, and how to choose a genuine Acharya.

Can a Puja Really Be Performed on Your Behalf?

Yes. This is a long-accepted part of Hindu tradition. At the heart of every puja is the sankalp, the sacred intention recited by the priest at the start of the ritual. In the sankalp, the Acharya states:

• Your name (and the names of family members included)
• Your gotra (your ancestral lineage, if known)
• The place and date
• The intention for which the puja is being offered

For centuries, families who could not be physically present, whether because of distance, illness or circumstances, have had rituals performed in their name at sacred places this way. Today, phone and video calls simply make it easier to stay connected to the ritual as it happens.

Read more: Online Puja from Abroad: What Tradition Says About Remote Sankalp · What Is Sankalp?

Why Nalkheda?

Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda is one of India's most revered shrines of Maa Baglamukhi, the Pitambara form of the Divine Mother. It stands on the banks of the Lakhundar river in District Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh. Local tradition links it to the Mahabharata, and its swayambhu murti shows Maa Baglamukhi with Maa Lakshmi and Maa Saraswati.

Devotees traditionally turn to Maa Baglamukhi for steadiness, protection and clarity during uncertain times, whether in family life, career, business, legal matters or education.

Read more: Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda: Complete Guide · Who Is Maa Baglamukhi?

The Booking Process: 6 Simple Steps

Step 1: Book a FREE Consultation

Fill the free consultation form on this page, or send an SMS to +91 88271 82771. You don't need an Indian number: send the online form and we call you. Share your name, country, city and the area where you are seeking guidance.

Step 2: Talk to Acharya Ashish Sharma

Acharya ji will speak with you by phone at a time that suits your time zone. He listens to your situation and explains which traditional puja, havan or anushthan is appropriate, or whether a simple prayer at home is enough.

Read more: How Our Free Consultation Works

Step 3: Share Your Sankalp Details

If you decide to go ahead, share:

Step 4: Confirm the Date and Muhurat

Acharya ji selects an auspicious date and muhurat according to the panchang and your sankalp. Festivals such as Navratri, Gupt Navratri and Baglamukhi Jayanti are especially popular, so book early for those dates.

Step 5: Make the Payment

International payments are simple and secure:

• PayPal: easiest for USA, Canada and UK devotees
• Stripe: pay by international debit or credit card
• Razorpay: cards, net banking and wallets
• Bank transfer: international wire transfer
• UPI: for devotees with an Indian bank account

The dakshina is explained clearly during the consultation, before you decide.

Read more: Paying for a Puja from Abroad: UPI, Bank Transfer, Razorpay, Stripe and PayPal

Step 6: The Puja Is Performed, and You Stay Connected

On the chosen date, Acharya Ashish Sharma performs the ritual at Nalkheda with your name in the sankalp. Where arranged, you can:

• Join live by video call and pray along from home
• Receive photos or video of the ritual afterwards
• Receive simple guidance for prayers or practices to continue at home

Read more: Joining a Havan by Live Video: How Remote Participation Works

Time Zones: When Should You Join?

India Standard Time (IST) is UTC +5:30 and does not change for daylight saving. Here is how a typical 9:00 AM IST puja translates for families abroad:

Tip for North America: because India's morning is your previous evening, you can usually join a morning puja in India after dinner at home, often on a weekend evening for the whole family.

Tip for the UK: morning rituals in India fall very early for you, so many UK families prefer an afternoon or evening muhurat in India (for example, 4:00 PM IST is 11:30 AM in London during BST, or 10:30 AM in winter), or receive the video afterwards.

Read more: Time Zones and Muhurat: Joining an Indian Puja from New York, Toronto or London

What Kinds of Puja Can Be Booked from Abroad?

With Acharya Ashish Sharma, devotees abroad commonly book:

• Maa Baglamukhi Puja: worship with yellow offerings and mantra jaap
• Maa Baglamukhi Havan: fire offerings with mantras, often to conclude a puja
• Special Anushthan: several days of mantra jaap completed with a havan
• Festival pujas: Navratri, Gupt Navratri, Baglamukhi Jayanti, Diwali

Devotees seek traditional guidance in six main areas: marriage and relationships, legal matters, business and finance, job and career, education, and removal of obstacles. In every case, the ritual is suggested according to the devotee's situation, as a religious practice and not as a guaranteed solution.

How to Choose a Genuine Acharya from Abroad

Unfortunately, not every online "puja service" is genuine. Before booking with anyone, check:

1. Can you speak to the Acharya personally? A real person should listen to your situation before suggesting anything.
2. Is there a real, verifiable location? Look for a physical address and a Google Business Profile.
3. Is the cost explained clearly upfront? Beware of hidden add-ons or constant requests for more money.
4. Do they promise guaranteed results? Anyone who guarantees "100% results" or a "fixed in 15 days" outcome is not following the tradition honestly.
5. Is there fear-based pressure? A genuine Acharya never frightens you into booking.
6. Can you see the ritual? Ask whether photos, video or a live call are possible.

Read more: Questions to Ask Before Booking Any Puja: A Transparency Checklist

Participating from Home During the Puja

Even thousands of miles away, you can take part with devotion:

• Bathe and wear clean clothes, yellow if possible for Maa Baglamukhi.
• Light a diya and incense in your home mandir.
• Sit together as a family during the puja time, or at a convenient time the same day.
• Chant simply, for example the Goddess's name or the Baglamukhi Chalisa.
• Keep the day sattvik: simple vegetarian food and a calm mind.

Popular Occasions NRI Families Book

Read more: Family Milestones from Abroad: Pujas for Marriage, New Home and New Job

Country-by-Country Notes

A Sample Timeline: Booking a Navratri Havan from New Jersey

This is an illustration of a typical flow, not a fixed schedule.

Keeping Children Connected

For many NRI parents, a puja in India is also a chance to pass on heritage:

• Explain the sankalp: "Our names are being spoken at a temple in India today."
• Let children light the diya and offer a flower at home during the ritual.
• Show them Nalkheda on a map and tell the temple's story.
• Keep it short and joyful. A few meaningful minutes matter more than a long session.

Read more: Teaching Children About Hindu Devotion When You Live Abroad

Common Mistakes NRI Families Make

1. Booking festival dates too late. Navratri and Baglamukhi Jayanti fill up.
2. Forgetting the time difference, and missing the live call.
3. Paying before the ritual and dakshina are clear
4. Choosing services that promise guaranteed results
5. Sharing incomplete names or wrong spellings for the sankalp
6. Treating it as a transaction rather than taking part with devotion at home

Your NRI Booking Checklist

About Acharya Ashish Sharma

Acharya Ashish Sharma has served in the tradition of Maa Baglamukhi for more than 25 years. He is Sanskrit-trained and connected with this tradition since birth, and his office is near Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda. He performs traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja, Havan and Special Anushthan, and offers personal spiritual guidance according to each devotee's situation, for families in India and around the world.