Here is a very simple Jain temple puja guide for girls (and really, for everyone). Follow what your local temple/parampara practices.

Before you go

• Bathe, wear clean and modest clothes. Avoid leather items (belts, wallets, watch-straps). Remove footwear outside.
• Keep hair tied, minimal perfume or makeup. Keep silence and a peaceful mind.
• If possible, do puja before eating (many do morning puja while fasting).

On entering the temple

• Greet with “Jai Jinendra.”
• Walk slowly and carefully (ahimsa). Do not disturb others.
• Stand before the Moola Nayak (main idol), join palms, and recite the Namokar Mantra with devotion.

Purity and access (important traditional note)

• Do not touch the idol with unclean hands or wet, scented, or colored items.
• Traditional observance: during menstruation, avoid entering the garbha-griha or doing abhishek/puja; simple darshan and Namokar from outside is usually observed. Follow your family/guru’s guidance and your temple’s rules.

Basic Shvetambar Murtipujak “Ashta-Prakari Puja” (8 offerings) 1) Jal: offer water for inner purity. 2) Chandan: sandal for coolness and calm. 3) Pushpa: flowers for devotion (use non-harmful, clean flowers; do not pluck needlessly). 4) Dhup: incense for right conduct fragrance. 5) Deep: lamp for enlightenment. 6) Akshat: unbroken rice for firmness in vows. 7) Naivedya: simple, satvik offering symbolizing restraint (not for eating inside temple). 8) Phal: fruit symbolizing the fruit of right faith.

• With each dravya, recite Namokar Mantra or the traditional puja gatha, and maintain bhav (inner feeling) of samyaktva, aparigraha, and ahimsa.

Digambar tradition (general)

• Abhisheka (Jal, sometimes Panchamrit per local custom), then offer sandal, akshat, pushpa, and perform aarti. Cooked food is not offered. Many temples emphasize snan-abhisheka, chaityavandan, stavan, and aarti. Follow your temple’s exact vidhi.

If your sangh is Sthanakvasi/Terapanthi (non-idolatry)

• No idol worship. Focus on Namokar Mantra, prarthana, stavan, swadhyaya, samayik, pratikraman, and aahaar-niyama.

General conduct during puja

• Keep maun (silence) as much as possible.
• Do not waste water or scatter items. Keep the place clean.
• Do not step on puja materials. Handle dravyas gently and return them properly.
• After offerings, do pradakshina (circumambulation) slowly with mindfulness.

After puja

• Perform Chaitya-Vandan or stavan as per your tradition.
• Aarti/Mangal-Devo if scheduled.
• Bow to the sadhus/sadhvijis if present (without touching).
• Leave quietly with “Jai Jinendra,” keeping the same calm bhav.

Essence to remember

• External puja is a support; the real worship is inner—purity of thoughts, non-violence, truthfulness, and restraint.
• Always follow your local temple’s rules and your family guru’s instructions.