Do prostration to the altar in your pooja room. Recite the story of Garuda Panchami and offer some flowers on completion of the story in front of the altar. 

The purpose of doing this Garuda Panchami Vrata pooja is for the welfare and prosperity of siblings. Invite your sister(s)-in-law to give the Vayanam.

Garuda panchami vrata pooja:

         1. Gowri preparation:

Take a kalasam, fill it with fresh water, add cardamom, saffron and pacha karpooram. Tie a silk cloth around the kalasam. Place the Gowri face on the kalasam using either turmeric or turmeric coated stand. Keep the Gowri on a plank or banana leaf.

         2. Pooja preparation:

Make kodi Janjjam vastram, pongu nool, thoram and 2 garlands, one for Lord Ganesha and other for Goddess Gowri.

         3. Kodi Janjjam:

First make a thick paste of turmeric and water. Take a strand (1 ½ mts approximately) of cotton and press turmeric paste at one-inch interval on the entire strand.

         4. Vastram:

Take 2 cotton pads, press in turmeric paste and dry them. This vastram is made to hold the kodi Janjjam.

         5. Pongu nool:

Dip a single long thread in turmeric paste and dry it.

         6. Thoram:

Fold the pongu nool three times and dip this again in turmeric paste. Make nine knots and then dry it..

        7. Other things needed for the ritual:

Pancha patram & uttarani, rice powder for kolam, fruits for prasad, panchamirtham for Ganesha and prasad for Gowri, flowers for the pooja, camphor for aarti, 2 lamps with wicks and gingelly oil and match box.

         8. Tamboolam for Ganesha:

• Betel nut – 2 nos.

• Betel leaf – 2 nos.

• Coconut – 1 no.

• A pair of Bananas.

  9. Tamboolam for Gowri:
  

• Betel nut – 9 nos.

• Betel leaf – 9 nos.

• Coconut – 1 no.

• A pair of Bananas.

• Turmeric powder 

        10. Vayanam for sister-in-law:

• Betel leaves – 2 nos.

• Areca nuts – 2 nos.

• Banana – 2 nos.

• Blouse piece for everyone who attends the program.

• Coconut – 1

Place all these in a basket over a plank.

Prasad for Gowri pooja:

1. Small Idlis – 9 nos. Or 1 big Idly (sum of 9 small Idlis.)

2. Tuvar balls – 9 nos.

3. Bhanna dal for payasam.

4. Kolukkatai (Modhakam) – 9 nos. The stuffing can either be shredded coconut mixed with jaggery paste or sesame seed. 

         Description of the pooja:

         On the day of the pooja, clean the platform where the pooja will take place with pure water. Make 9 small kolams. Place a plank on the kolam. Take a handful of rice and keep it on the plank where a Gowri kalasam is eventually placed. Lay a betel leaf in front of the kalasam. Install a small conical shaped turmeric paste which is considered to resemble Lord Ganesha on the leaf. Put kumkum on the Ganesha resemblance and on Gowri kalasam. Decorate Gowri with Kodi turmeric, vastram and one Thoram. Also place the garland around the neck of Gowri Kalasam and decorate Ganesha with flowers. If possible, set a small necklace around the neck of Gowri. 

         Place the flowers, Pancha paatram uttarani with water, fruits, prasad, panchamirtham, tamboolam in front of the deity. Keep another thoran in a cup or a plate in front of Gowri. Complete the pooja and tie the thoram around the wrist with a small strand of jasmine garland.