Skt., puja: ritual, worhip, holy mass
The Sanskrit word puja, which is left untranslated throughout these pages, is usually translated as worship.
Linguistically, there is nothing wrong with that translation, except for the fact that for a native speaker, the term does not sound or feel like worship, but rather like holy mass.
Seen from within Indian culture, puja carries all the emotional connotations that for most Christian-educated people are inherent in 'mass' or 'service'; whereas 'worship' sounds rather detached; a word that belongs to the terminology of anthropologists rather than to someone actively practicing her or his faith.
In Indian religious systems such as Shakta, Tantra or others, a typical puja will consist of chanting mantra, doing mudras and visualization exercises, reciting sacred texts, presenting offerings and performing libations, often bassed on the symbolism of the five elements.
One or more types of puja are practiced daily by almost every individual within the fold of Hinduism, some are for very special occasions only, others are secret and practiced by only a few. For examples of the latter, see Kumari Puja and the different types (phases) of Yoni Puja.