The day in a traditional Indian home begins not with an alarm, but with a sensory shift. In the quiet pre-dawn hours, usually around 5:00 AM, the house undergoes a transformation. It is the time for the Puja (prayer).
In many households, this is the domain of the matriarch—the grandmother or mother. The scent of camphor and incense sticks (agarbatti) wafts through the hallways, acting as a spiritual wake-up call. The sound of the brass bell (ghanta) ringing rhythmically signals that the divine has been invited into the home.
I remember my grandmother waking up before the sun, drawing the Rangoli or Kolam at the doorstep—a geometric welcome mat made of rice flour, intended to feed ants and invite prosperity. Before a single tooth was brushed or a stove lit for chai, the gods were fed. This ritual anchors the household, setting a tone of gratitude before the rush of the world begins.
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