Requesting a Puja / Homa 15
How do I request a Puja or Homa?
Open vds-telangana.example and tap the puja you want. The form takes a few minutes on a phone. Have the organiser's mobile number and the venue's address ready.
What is the difference between Samoohik and Private?
Samoohik is a community puja: anyone can join it by registering for a sankalpa. Private is for one family. For a Samoohik puja the form asks for the Organiser; for a Private one, the Yajaman.
How do I find my village, town or city?
Type the first few letters of its name. Many places share a name, so add the mandal or district after it, for example your village and then its mandal. Tap your place and the district, division and mandal fill in by themselves.
My place doesn't come up. What do I do?
Try fewer letters or another spelling: Telugu names are written in English in many ways. Adding the mandal name also helps. If it still doesn't come up, call your zone coordinator. Their numbers are at the bottom of the home page.
How is the category decided? Why can't I choose it?
The category comes from the place you picked, so there is nothing to choose. The form shows the category and the amount as soon as you pick your place.
What does "Minimum" mean next to the amount?
For a Samoohik puja the amount is a minimum. Families who register for a sankalpa on vaidicpujas add up towards it. The form shows the sankalpa levels they can choose from.
What is "Add exact location"? Do I need it?
It is optional, but the Puja team follows this pin on the day. Stand at the venue's gate or front door (not inside, and not from home), tap Add exact location, then Use my current location, and allow it when the phone asks.
Why are some dates greyed out?
Special and auspicious days are greyed out in the date and day lists: Sundays, Mondays, Pournami, Amavasya, the Ekadashis and Maasa Shivaratri. To ask for one of them, choose Special / Auspicious day and pick the day, or tap the greyed-out day and then Select Special Auspicious Days.
Why do I have to tap "I understand" under the time?
The Puja team needs half an hour to 45 minutes at the venue to make arrangements before the puja can begin. Please plan the start time for that, and make sure someone can let them in early.
Is the date and time I chose final?
No, it is tentative. Depending on the Puja team's travel, your coordinator will tell you the final date and time.
How do I check my request before sending it?
Tap Review request. The form shows everything you entered: puja, organiser, venue, category, coordinator, date and time. Nothing is sent yet. Tap Change or Edit to fix anything, then Submit.
What happens after I submit?
You get a reference number; please keep it handy. Your VDS coordinator checks the details and calls you. Once the date, team and registration link are ready, a Samoohik puja appears on the Puja / Homa schedule for everyone to join.
I made a mistake, or need to change something.
Please don't fill in the form again. Call your coordinator with your reference number and they will update your request.
Who is my coordinator?
The form shows your area's VDS coordinator once you pick your place, and so does the page you see after submitting. Each zone's coordinator is listed on the home page.
Where is the samagri list?
On the page you see after submitting, in Telugu and English, for pujas that have one.