What are the Sixteen Common Stages in All Hindu Forms of Ceremonial Worship?

The sixteen stages of regular Hindu ceremony are:

(i) Avahana (invocation)

(ii) Asana (offering of a seat for the gods)

(iii) Padya (offering of water for washing the feet)

(iv) Arghya (offering of rice, etc.)

(v) Acharnaniya (offering of water for sipping)

(vi) Snana (offering of milk and honey for the gods to bathe)

(vii) Vastra (offering of clothes in the form of tulsi leaves)

(viii) Upavastra (offering of upper garments and ornaments, represented by more tulsi leaves)

(ix) Gandha or Chandan (offering of perfumes or sandal paste)

(x) Pushpa (offering of flowers)

(xi) Dhupa (offering of incense)

(xii) Dipa (illumination)

(xiii) Nivedya (offering of food)

(xiv) Pradikshana (reverential circumambulation)

(xv) Mantrapushpa (offering flowers with recitation of texts)

(xvi) Namaskara (final adoration)