Why Do we Have A Prayer Room ?

Most Indian homes have a prayer room or altar. A lamp is lit and the god is worshiped there everyday. Spiritual practices like japarepetition of the God’s name, prayer roommeditation,pranayamareading of the scriptures, prayers, devotional singing etc are also done in the prayer room.A Special prayer is done on auspicious occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and similar occasions. Every member of a family – young or old – communes with and worships the Divine in the prayer room.

Prayer Rooms in Hinduism

A Prayer room is called Devalaya in Sanskrit.It has been explained as devasya devaanaa Mvaa Aalaya,meaning home or abode of a deity or deities.

According to Agni Purana,temple is the body of god.This is mentioned in Agni Purana as,
Evam harih sakshat prasadatvena sansthita

Shikharam shira ityahurgarbhageham galastatha mandapam kukshirityahuh prakaram janujanghakam
gopuram pada ithyahurdhvajo jivanamuchyate

Shikhara means head
Sanctum means neck
Mandapa means waist
Courtyard means Knee
Gopura means Leg

And prayer room can also be thought of,as a small replica of temple.A God or goddess stays in a temple or sanctum.


God is the absolute creation. He is therefore the true owner of the house, we live in.A prayer room is the Master room of the house. We are the earthly occupants of His property. This notion rids us of false pride,materialism and possessiveness.Our ideal attitude should be to regard God as the true owner of our house and consider ourselves as caretakers of His house.If this is difficult, one could at least think of Him as a very welcome guest in his house. Just as we offer utmost hospitality to our guests, we should house God,the most important guest in the best comfort.We felicitate God’s presence in our homes by having a prayer room or altar, which is, at all times, kept clean and well-decorated.God is all pervading.Without god’s grace, no task can be successfully or easily accomplished. We invoke god’s grace by communing with Him in a prayer room everyday.

The key to a prayer room is not about the physical space but about making space for getting in touch with god,who from the beginning of time longs to be with His people and connect with them. We know that God is everywhere and we can meet with God anywhere and everywhere, but a Prayer Room is important to know God. 

Each room in a house is dedicated to a specific function like the bedroom is used for resting, the drawing room to receive guests, the kitchen for cooking etc. The furniture, decor and the atmosphere of each room is made conducive to the purpose it serves. So for the purpose of meditation, worship and prayer, we should have a conducive atmosphere, a prayer room.

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Sacred thoughts and sound vibrations pervade in an altar and influence the minds of those who spend time there. Spiritual thoughts and vibrations accumulated through regular meditation, worship and chanting done there pervades inside a prayer room. Even when we are tired or agitated, we feel calm, rejuvenated and spiritually uplifted,by just sitting in the prayer room for a while

A prayer room offers the devotee a place that is private and peaceful. It is comfortable and inviting.It should be a place to sit, kneel or even lay prostrate before God and enjoy his presence.Comfortable chairs, carpet, tables, plants, adequate lighting, good ventilation, dĂ©cor and even background music improves a prayer room’s experience.

Changi Airport in Singapore

Prayer Room in Christianity

Jesus said, “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13). If God gives us a task, we must earnestly seek him with all of our heart and soul and strength before we endeavor to do it. It was never his intention for us to operate under our own power, but to
receive his divine help through prayer.

A prayer room, simply put, is a place in a church set aside for prayer. Every prayer room is different—some are small, some are elaborate, and some are simple. They vary in appearance just as much as church buildings do.


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Atul Kumar
Atul Kumar
O Lord’ like others let me be engrossed in worldly pleasures as abundantly as I wish but with a condition that all such pleasures should appear to be embedded in you, so that my thought differentiation in these pleasures is totally removed. ~Acharya Uppal-Deva

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