Designer Puja Flower Bowl - With Handle

A designer brass flower bowl with a foldable handle, for gathering and offering flowers in puja. Its scalloped rim is worked with cut-out motifs, the bowl is embossed with a fluted pattern, and it stands on a pedestal foot beneath an engraved, arched handle that folds down when it is not in use. At 7.5 inches across, it holds the flowers for a full puja, from the first offering to the last.

The puja flower basket

Flowers (pushpa) are among the essential offerings of every puja. A flower basket with a handle, known in Bengal as the saji (সাজি) and in many homes as the pushpa patra, is used to gather flowers in the morning and carry them to the altar, and to hold them within reach while they are offered one by one: red hibiscus (jaba) for Ma Kali, aparajita for Ma Durga, marigold and lotus for every deity.

Quick facts

• Material: brass
• Size: 7.5 inches across; the bowl stands 4.5 inches tall, without the handle
• Handle: engraved and foldable, so it lies flat for storage or on a low mandir shelf
• Weight: 400 g
• Design: scalloped rim with cut-out motifs, embossed fluted bowl and pedestal foot
• Finish: polished brass
• Origin: India

How it is used

• Gathering flowers: carried by its handle to collect flowers for the morning puja
• Offering flowers: keeping flowers, petals and durva within reach at the altar during puja and pushpanjali, with the handle folded down out of the way
• Festivals: Durga Puja pushpanjali, Kali Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Saraswati Puja and Navratri
• Prasad and offerings: also suited to fruit, sweets or bel leaves
• Decoration: filled with flowers or petals beside the home mandir

Care

• Empty and rinse it after each puja, as wet flowers left in brass can mark the surface, and dry it fully.
• Brass naturally darkens over time. To restore its shine, clean it with pitambari powder, or with tamarind or lemon, then rinse and dry.
• Use a soft brush for the cut-work and embossing, and avoid steel scrubbers, which scratch the polished surface.

Frequently asked questions

What is a puja flower bowl with handle used for?

It is used to gather flowers for puja and to hold them at the altar while they are offered to the deity. It also suits pushpanjali, fruit, bel leaves and other offerings.

What is a saji?

Saji (সাজি) is the Bengali name for the flower basket used in puja, carried by its handle to collect flowers and keep them at the altar.

What size is the flower bowl?

It is 7.5 inches across, and the bowl stands 4.5 inches tall without the handle. It weighs 400 g.

Does the handle fold?

Yes. The handle folds down, so the bowl sits low on the altar or a mandir shelf and stores easily, and lifts up to carry flowers.

Is it made of brass?

Yes. It is brass, polished, with cut-work on the rim and an embossed bowl.

How do I clean the cut-work?

Rinse it after use and clean the cut-work and embossing with a soft brush. If it darkens, use pitambari powder, or tamarind or lemon, then rinse and dry.